I need to rave a bit about Merle Haggard's new CD Like Never Before. The track that has attracted the most attention is his antiwar song "That's the News" about the war that didn't seem to end when the President proclaimed "Mission Accomplished" on the Abraham Lincoln. A couple of the verses:
Suddenly it's over, the war is finally done
Soldiers in the desert sand still clinging to a gun
No one is the winner and everyone must lose
Suddenly the war is over, that's the news
Now the cost of war is something out of sight
Lost a lot of heroes in the fight
Politicians do all the talking, soldiers pay the dues
Suddenly the war is over, that's the news
Merle Haggard is a good popular singer and a great songwriter. That song not only has good lyrics, but the melody and the delivery both sound good.
The CD also includes "Return to San Francisco," a nostalgic and romantic song in which Merle treads on Tony Bennett's turf. He and Willie Nelson do a fine duet rendition of Woody Guthrie's "Reno Blues (Philadelphia Lawyer)." Willie did that one solo on the 1988 tribute album A Vision Shared.
The song "Yellow Ribbons" also reminds us of the sacrifice that soldiers make on our behalf, even when those who sent them there should have shown more responsibility in doing so. "Lonesome Day" is a protest against the nightmare vision that motivates John Ashcroft and the corporate tyrants at the Clear Channel radio corporation:
Who's gonna sing the song of freedom when freedom goes away? ...
When the big boys with the microphones have stuck 'em back away
And they're afraid to say the things they know they ought to say ...
It's gonna be a lonesome day
The other cuts on this album are mostly romantic pieces. It's hard to pick out a favorite among the others so far. "Because of Your Eyes" would be my pick at this point ("We'll always be lovers because of your eyes"). "Haggard (Like I've Never Been Before)" and "Garbage Man" are both lively and interesting offerings.
If you're a fan of country or folk music, Like Never Before would be a good choice for your holiday wish list. I couldn't wait, myself, and I'm glad I didn't.
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