We Can't Make It Here Anymore

[American liberal]

Sorry if I'm way behind the times, but I just heard this song by James McMurty on my local rock station and had to sit there parked in front of my house in order to hear the whole thing. Here's some of the lyrics. It's all about the truth:

We Can't Make It Here Any More
By JAMES McMURTRY

......................................

Now I'm stocking shirts in the Wal-Mart stores
just like the ones we made before
'cept this one came from Singapore
I guess we can't make it here anymore

Should I hate a people for the shade of their skin
or the shape of their eyes or the shape i'm in
should i hate em for having our jobs today
No I hate the men sent the jobs away
I can see them all now, they haunt my dreams
all lily white and squeaky clean
they've never known want, they'll never know need
Their shit don't stink and their kids don't bleed
their kids don't bleed in their damn little war
and we can't make it here anymore

will work for food and die for oil
will kill for power and to us the spoils
the billionaires get to pay less tax
the working poor get to fall through the cracks
so let 'em eat jellybeans let 'em eat cake
let em eat shit, whatever it takes
they can join the Air Force or join the Corps
if they can't make here anymore

So that's how it is, that's what we got
if the president wants to admit it or not
you can read it in the papers, read it on the wall
hear it on the wind if you're listening at all
get out of that limo, look us in the eye
call us on the cell phone tell us all why

...................

From James McMurtry's fantastic new CD Childish Things.

[bperci108]

1. You might check his site...

www.jamesmcmurtry.com

I think it's there as a free download in both electric and acoustic versions (that's where I got it a few months ago, anyway...).

It certainly is a great tune, like most of his stuff.

"Choctaw Bingo" is another favorite. :)

[DanCa]

2. I posted this several days ago.

I am glad to see that there are more Mcmurtry fans out there.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

3. I bought his album from Buzzflash.com

It's pretty good.

Did you also know that his dad is writer Larry McMurtry (Lonesome Dove, Brokeback Mountain)?

[xchrom]

5. i did not know that.

[American liberal]

10. no way! I finally saw Brokeback last night

(in fact, I was just getting home from dropping off my friend after the movie when the McMurty song came on)...loved it! Although I didn't think the makeup people aged the Jack Swift character very well, the story was beautifully told.

I encourage all DUers to encouarge their local radio stations add this very poignant, relevant song to their playlists.

Peace,
AL

[Starbucks Anarchist]

4. Dupe, delete.

[hippywife]

6. McMurtry is excellent!

I love his music and heard this one when they first posted it to the website. I posted it here in GD and in the music appreciation group but it sank fast with barely any notice.

Glad to see it's gettin wider airplay these days.

[niallmac]

7. I am way out of the contemporary scene music or otherwise so

I am wondering if a song like this gets much play on the big am stations?
I think the lyrics are terrif for what it's worth.

[American liberal]

9. This song played on WXRT, Chicago's most progressive

rock station (it's corporate, but the primary DJs have been on for looooooooooooong time and are definitely leftist in their commentary) at 12:30 am Friday night. It was the first time I heard it. I will continue to check their playlist online to see whether it gets much play during "primetime" listening hours (whihc I suspect is during morning and afternoon rush hours).

I also suspect that WXRT is going to be the only corporate-owned radio station in my Chicago market that plays this song at all. I was THRILLED to hear this kind of truth on my favorite rock station (I've been listening to this station for almost 30 years) and will be sure to send them correspondence to thank them for their courage and political autonomy.

Peace,
AL

[Gregorian]

8. Wow, good stuff.

There are more good tunes out there than one would realize.

I got an email a couple of days ago. A friend of mine was in a music video. I'm not sure if this will play for you, or if it's even something worth posting here. It's not neccisarily my musical taste, but I had to notice that the kids haven't been fooled. There seems to be a pretty damn good antiwar message in this video.

http://mp.aol.com/video.index.adp?pmmsid=1424695&_AOLFORM=w708.h344.p7.R1

[lectrobyte]

11. link

http://www.digitalvisionmedia.com/compadre/We_Cant_Band.mp3