Burnin' It Down by Steve Earle

Album: The Low Highway (2013)

License This Song

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

Earle sings here in the character of a defeated, angry, jobless man, bewildered about what happened to his dreams and contemplating burning down his local Wal-Mart. Earle told Mojo magazine: "He's got a pretty elaborate rig in his truck so he's probably doing more than thinking about it. It's not me, it's the character saying it, but I feel strongly about Wal-Mart and the song says in a very strong way what I feel, so I took the rest. Now I've got to pray that nobody actually burns a Wal-Mart down."
The song features accordion by the alternative country singer-songwriter Allison Moorer, who is the little sister of Nashville artist Shelby Lynne.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

Hunger StrikeTemple of the Dog

"Hunger Strike" by Temple of the Dog features Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder, and was Vedder's first music video.

Always On My MindWillie Nelson

Elvis Presley recorded "Always On My Mind" in 1972, but Willie Nelson's version 10 years later was the hit and won the Song of the Year Grammy.

Beverly HillsWeezer

Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo wrote "Beverly Hills" after seeing a photo of the group Wilson Phillips and imagining what it would be like to marry someone famous.

Blinded By The LightBruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen wrote "Blinded By The Light," which was a #1 hit for Manfred Mann's Earth Band. The "Madman Drummers" line is a reference to Springsteen's first E-Street drummer, Vinnie "Mad dog" Lopez.