Hard Sun - Eddie Vedder

Artist: Eddie Vedder
Song: Hard Sun
Year: 2007
Album: Into The Wild

This Indio cover was a hit for Eddie Vedder.

Lyrics:
When I walk beside her
I am the better man
When I look to leave her
I always stagger back again

Once I built an ivory tower
So I could worship from above
When I climb down to be set free
She took me in again

There's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

When she comes to greet me
She is mercy at my feet
And I, I see her inner charm
She just throws it back at me

Once I dug an early grave
To find a better land
She just smiled and laughed at me
And took her rules back again

There's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

Oh, there's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

When I go to cross that river
She is comfort by my side
When I try to understand
She just opens up her hands

There's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

Once I stood to lose her
When I saw what I had done
Bowed down and threw away the hours
Of her garden and her sun

So I tried to warn her
I turned to see her weep
Forty days and forty nights
And it's still coming down on me

There's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

Oh, there's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

Oh, there's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

Oh, there's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

There's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

Oh, there's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

There's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

There's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

There's a big
A big hard sun
Beating on the big people
In a big hard world

Icky Thump - White Stripes

Artist: White Stripes
Song: Icky Thump
Year: 2007
Album: Icky Thump

"Icky Thump" is a bit of a departure and a revival for the White Stripes. It marks a return to politically themed songs. It also features a radical movement towards a different sound, while still retaining their signature sound. This is a song of maturity for Jack and Meg White.

The song deals with the topic of immigration. In the video, Jack easily crosses the border into Mexico, only to face the same problems that Mexican immigrants face when coming into the United States. He is forced to work for essentially slave labor until he can make it back into the United States.

The addition of other instruments and other sounds is a welcome change. I think Jack's other musical ventures are finally impacting the White Stripes. That could be a wonderful thing. The changes in this song are particularly pleasant. The synthesizer snake charmer solos are an interesting add to the song.

The lyrics seem to be more stream-of-consciousness based. It makes for a different style of song that is constructed uniquely from the rest of the catalogue. Change is not always good, but Jack has found the right path to move forward.

Lyrics:
Yah-hee, icky thump,
Who'd thunk?
Sittin' drunk on a wagon to Mexico.

Ah, well, what a chump,
Well, my head got a bump when I hit it on the radio.

Redhead señorita looking dead came and said,
"Need a bed?", en español.

I said, "Gimme drink of water,
I'm gonna sing around the colla'
And I don't need a microphone."

Icky thump with a lump in my throat,
Grabbed my coat and I was freakin',
I was ready to go.

And I swear besides the hair,
She had one white eye,
One black stare,
Lookin' up, lyin' there.

On the stand near her hand was a candy cane,
Black rum, sugar cane, dry ice, something strange.

La, la, la, la, la, la, la...
La, la, la, la, la, la, la...

White Americans what nothin better to do
Why don't ya kick yourself out, you're
an immigrant too.

Who's using who?
What should we do?
Well, you can't be a pimp and a prostitute, too.

Icky thump, handcuffed to a bunk, robbed blind,
Looked around and there was nobody else.

Left alone, I hit myself with a stone,
Went home and learned how to clean up after myself.

Cuntry Boner - Puscifer

Artist: Puscifer
Song: Cuntry Boner
Year: 2007
Album: Cuntry Boner

Still not feeling the greatest, but the list continues. This is a song that my late uncle would appreciate. It's comedy. It's country-ish. It's sort of offensive. It's catchy. It's a side project of Maynard from Tool.

Lyrics:
Maynard:
Fucked Dolly Parton
Fucked Loretta Lynn
Fucked Barbara Mandrell
And fucked all of her kin

I've fucked Minnie Pearl
I fucked Elvis Presley's little girl
I fucked the Judds

Paz: You fucked the Judds?
Maynard: Hell yeah!

My cuntry boner, it won't go down

Maynard & Paz:
It won't go down, it won't go down
My cuntry boner won't go down
My boner, my boner, my boner won't go down
It won't go down, it won't go down
My cuntry boner, it won't go down
My cuntry boner, it won't go down

Paz:
I fucked Willie Nelson
I fucked him deep inside
I fucked Elvis Presley in the bathroom where he died
I fucked Dwight Yoakum

Maynard: Johnny Cash grabbed his ankles and he hollered when I poked him
Paz: I fucked the Judds!
Maynard: You fucked the Judds?

My cuntry boner, it won't go down

Group... sex (x3)
Our cuntry boners, they won't go down

Fucked Alabama
Fucked the Oak Ridge Boys
Fucked Randy Travis with a 12-inch plastic toy
I fucked the cast of Hee-Haw
I fucked Glen Campbell, fucked him on a see-saw

Kenny Rogers thought it crass
When I fucked his big white ass
I can't help it....

My cuntry boner, it won't go down

I Can't Take It No More - John Fogerty

Artist: John Fogerty
Song: I Can't Take It No More
Year: 2007
Album: Revival

It seems that lately, more and more artists are aligning themselves against the Bush administration. That's pretty par for the course for newer artists and artists with a long history of protesting. Something is usually wrong when artists who have been quiet in recent years start coming out of the woodwork with new protest songs. John Fogerty is one of these artists.

While never backing down from a fight, Fogerty has been part of the silent majority the last few decades. He has always alluded to things in his songwriting, but the past few years have brought out a more blunt approach to his songwriting style. This is the new type of protest song from the old guard.

There is no mistaking who Fogerty is talking about in this song. Gone are the clever analogies and clouded lyrics. In the wake of those missing elements, come newer, bolder statements. There is no holding back about feelings, while clever throwbacks remind us of his peak period with Creedence Clearwater Revival.

The song itself is a short, punky burst of classic rock with an attitude and a message. Plus, it's catchy enough to get stuck in your brain for the rest of the day.

Lyrics:
I can't take it no more
I can't take it no more
I'm sick and tired of your dirty little war
I can't take it no more

You know you lied about the casualties
You know you lied about the WMD's
You know you lied about the detainees
All over this world

Stop talking about staying the course
You keep a-beating that old dead horse
You know you lied about how we went to war
I can't take it no more

I can't take it
I can't take it

I bet you never saw the old school yard
I bet you never saw the national guard
Your daddy wrote a check and there you are
Another fortunate son

I can't take it no more
I can't take it no more
I'm sick and tired of your dirty little war
I can't take it no more

Letter To Me - Brad Paisley

Artist: Brad Paisley
Song: Letter To Me
Year: 2007
Album: 5th Gear

I always wondered what it would be like if my future self could offer advice to the present me. I could avoid some of the pitfalls that have plagued me throughout my life. I suppose that it would be an unfair advantage.

It would probably turn out to be like the South Park episode of My Future Self N' Me. Somehow, I think that might turn out to be catastrophic. Hmmm... just like on South Park.

I would probably say basically the same things in my letter that Brad Paisley wrote to himself, in the song. The truth is, things aren't as bad as they seem at any given moment. Things could always be worse. Things will always get better, at some point. The bad thing is that you have to go through life to gain that experience. No amount of advice could ingrain that into anyone's head.

If I could write a letter to my past self, I'd tell myself to run fast, in the opposite direction, when I met this one girl. Other than that one person, I have no big regrets. I can boil down all of my misfortune to meeting that one girl. If only I could.

Lyrics:
If I could write a letter to me
And send it back in time to myself at 17
First I'd prove it's me by saying look under your bed
There's a Skoal can and a Playboy no one else would know you hid
And then I'd say I know its tough
When you break up after seven months
And yeah I know you really liked her and it just don't seem fair
All I can say is pain like that is fast and it's rare

And oh you got so much going for you going right
But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night
She wasn't right for you
And still you feel like there's a knife sticking out of your back
And you're wondering if you'll survive
You'll make it through this and you'll see
You're still around to write this letter to me

At the stop sign at Tomlinson and Eighth
Always stop completely don't just tap your brakes
And when you get a date with Bridgett make sure the tank is full
On second thought forget it that one turns out kinda cool
Each and every time you have a fight
Just assume you're wrong and dad is right
And you should really thank Mrs. Brinkman
She spent so much extra time
It's like she sees the diamond underneath
And she's polishing you 'til you shine

And oh you got so much going for you going right
But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night
Tonight's the bonfire rally
But you're staying home instead because if you fail Algebra
Mom and dad will kill you dead
Trust me you'll squeak by and get a C
And you're still around to write this letter to me

You've got so much up ahead
You'll make new friends
You should see your kids and wife
And I'd end by saying have no fear
These are nowhere near the best years of your life

I guess I'll see you in the mirror
When you're a grown man
P.S. go hug Aunt Rita every chance you can

And oh you got so much going for you going right
But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night
I wish you'd study Spanish
I wish you'd take a typing class
I wish you wouldn't worry, let it be
I'd say have a little faith and you'll see

If I could write a letter to me
To me