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The year of the gun.....

I guess we're going to be talking a lot about gun control this year....

I imagine there's a variety of opinions on this subject at No Depression, but can you back up your opinion with a good country (whatever that is) song?

Here's some advice from the Man in Black:

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Permalink Reply by JC Honeycutt on January 22, 2013 at 7:29am

"It'll get you into trouble, but it can't get you out"--best line, IMHO.

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Permalink Reply by Pete on January 22, 2013 at 7:06am

"O Children"

"O Children" -- Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

Pass me that lovely little gun
My dear, my darling one
The cleaners are coming, one by one
You don't even want to let them start

They are knocking now upon your door
They measure the room, they know the score
They're mopping up the butcher's floor
Of your broken little hearts

O children

Forgive us now for what we've done
It started out as a bit of fun
Here, take these before we run away
The keys to the gulag

O children
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice
Children
Rejoice, rejoice

Here comes Frank and poor old Jim
They're gathering round with all my friends
We're older now, the light is dim
And you are only just beginning

O children

We have the answer to all your fears
It's short, it's simple, it's crystal clear
It's round about and it's somewhere here
Lost amongst our winnings

O children
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice
Children
Rejoice, rejoice

The cleaners have done their job on you
They're hip to it, man, they're in the groove
They've hosed you down, you're good as new
They're lining up to inspect you

O children

Poor old Jim's white as a ghost
He's found the answer that we lost
We're all weeping now, weeping because
There ain't nothing we can do to protect you

O children
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice
Children
Rejoice, rejoice

Hey little train! We are all jumping on
The train that goes to the Kingdom
We're happy, Ma, we're having fun
And the train ain't even left the station

Hey, little train! Wait for me!
I once was blind but now I see
Have you left a seat for me?
Is that such a stretch of the imagination?

Hey little train! Wait for me!
I was held in chains but now I'm free
I'm hanging in there, don't you see
In this process of elimination

Hey little train! We are all jumping on
The train that goes to the Kingdom
We're happy, Ma, we're having fun
It's beyond my wildest expectation

Hey little train! We are all jumping on
The train that goes to the Kingdom
We're happy, Ma, we're having fun
And the train ain't even left the station

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Permalink Reply by Paul Boudreau on January 22, 2013 at 10:38am

How about this one, metaphorically speaking?

Uncle Tupelo - Gun

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Permalink Reply by Paul Wilner on January 22, 2013 at 12:46pm

Well, you know, here's Hank. Pretty good song, for what it is, but there's a very deep cultural and racial divide (note the liquor store robbers in the hoodies in the video) that needs to be addressed. Somehow.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Helwig on January 22, 2013 at 3:18pm

Hank Jr was one of the champions of cultural divide...perhaps Eric Clapton's "I Shot The Sheriff" needs a mention here as a voice of tolerance...after all, he did not shoot the deputy

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Permalink Reply by Paul Wilner on January 22, 2013 at 3:50pm

Michael, I'm not advocating for Hank, whom I deeply disagree with. It just seems to be an example of the strong differences that exist. So does the Miranda Lambert/Eaglesmith song, for that matter. It sounds fun and kinda reasonable enough, unless you stop and think about it. Why is it "time to get a gun'' exactly? - Are people really going to use it to stop people from repossessing their land or do they just like having it around in case someone gets a notion to visit their farm house? Similarly for Earle's effort, which can be read both ways. We like our cowboy myths. Dead schoolchildren, not so much.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Helwig on January 22, 2013 at 4:08pm

Paul, I thought it was clear that you weren't advocating for Hank Jr, nor for his position...neither am I...fact is, Junior only wrote two songs, "Gawd It's Tough Being Hank Williams' Kid, Boo Hoo Hoo" and "Rednecks Are Better Than All You Other People" and I don't think he has the talent his kid has...it goes without saying he doesn't have the talent his father had...yes, we do like our cowboy myths and I'm right at the head of that line

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Permalink Reply by Rick Fiddler on January 23, 2013 at 5:24am

Hank Jr. was country music entertainer of year for five years and has scores of albums that are not too bad in my opinion. His son makes some good music and some that I simply do not like. Even III will tell you at his shows that if you liked the first half which is more Americana like, then you probably won't like the second half which is hard rock.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Helwig on January 23, 2013 at 6:01am

for the record, Hank Jr won twice, 1987-88, and the list of those never winning the "award" include Emmylou Harris, George Jones and Buck Owens, so make what you will of its significance...I too enjoyed some of his music, enough to have purchased nine of his solo albums...and I still listen to them occasionally, but entertaining and talented are two different things...I still listen to Fabian, too

(I hope that last remark doesn't get me kicked outta here)