Songs: Ashes to Ashes  (Steve Earle) Amerika v. 6.0 (The Best We Can Do)  (Steve Earle) Conspiracy Theory  (Steve Earle) John Walker's Blues  (Steve Earle) The Kind  (Steve Earle) What's a Simple Man to Do?  (Steve Earle) The Truth  (Steve Earle) Go Amanda  (Steve Earle, Sheryl Crow) I Remember You  (Steve Earle) Shadowland  (Steve Earle) Jerusalem  (Steve Earle)

cover art:   Tony Fitzpatrick

"LatelyI fell like the loneliest man in America.  Frank/lyrics/ly, I've never worn red, white, and blue that well.  I grew up during the Vietnam War and whenever I see a flag decal, I subconsciouslysuperimpose the caption:  AMERICA – LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT across the bottom stripe.  Back then, as now, it was suggested by some that second-guessing our leaders in a time of crisis was unpatriotic if not downright treasonous.  We sent 55,000 of our sons to die far from home in the belief that if we didn't arrest what we perceived as an 'evil empire' abroad that the last domino would ultimatelyfall at our own doorstep.  When no enemy presented itself at the gate, we began to turn on ourselves, subjecting our own citizens to clandestine scrutiny by our law enforcement agencies and persecution in our courts of law.  Our newfound 'unity' became increasinglyexclusive and eventuallydivisive until we fought each other in the streets of Washington, Chicago, Newark, and Watts.

"Well, we survived all that – and I believe that we'll survive this, as well.  We are a people perpetuallybalanced on a tightrope stretched between our history and our potential, one faltering step away from a headlong tumble from the most dizzying of heights.  But fear not – we're working with a net.

"In spite of our worst intentions and ignorance of our own history, our Constitution has, thus far, proven resilient enough to withstand anything that we throw at it, including ourselves.  For myself, my faith in this one institution of our all too human (and therefore imperfect) society is absolute, but, I hope, not blind.  It was built to last, but onlyif properlymaintained.  Fierce vigilance against the erosion of its proven principles is the very heart of our peculiar/lyrics/ly American brand of democracy.  It ws framed by men whose names we are taught to remember by rote:  Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Patrick Henry, Aaron Burr... the list is long and distinguished and we call these men patriots.  In times like these, it is also important to remember the names of John Reed, Emma Goldman, Abbie Hoffman, Bobby Seale, Malcom X, Martin Luther King... those who defended those same principles by insisting on asking the hardest questions in our darkest hours.

"God bless America, indeed."

Steve Earle
Fairview, Tennessee
July4th, 2002

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Lyrics for Jerusalem

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Steve Earle:  guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo, harmonica,
            harmonium, Mini-Moog, organ, and vocals
Eric “Roscoe” Ambel:  guitar and vocals
Kelley Looney:  bass
Will Rigby:  drums and percussion
Patrick Earle:  percussion
Siobhan Maher-Kennedy:  vocals on "Conspiracy Theory"
Dane Clark:  drum loop on “Conspiracy Theory”
Emmylou Harris:  vocals on "I Remember You"
Ken Coomer:  drums on "I Remember You"
John Jarvis:  electric piano on "Go Amanda"
Mike Bubb:  bass on "The Truth"
Kenny Malone:  drums and percussion on "The Truth"

Emmylou Harris appears courtesy of Nonesuch Records

Produced by the twangtrust
Engineered by Ray Kennedy
Assistant Engineer: Patrick Earle

Recorded and Mixed at Room & Board, Hermitage, Tennessee
        except:
               “Amerika v. 6.0 (The Best We Can Do)”
               recorded by Tim Hatfield and assisted by David Chernis
               at Cowboy Technical Services Rig, Williamsburg Brook/lyrics/lyn, NY
               with additional recording at Room & Board
Mastered by Hank Williams at Mastermix, Nashville, TN

Cover Art & Additional Illustration: Tony Fitzpatrick
Art Direction & Design: Brad Talbott
Photos: Glen Rose
Production Coordination: Elisa Sanders

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All songs written by Steve Earle and published by Sarangel Music (ASCAP) except Go Amanda written by Steve Earle & Sheryl Crow and published by Sarangel Music (ASCAP)/Old Crow Music/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co. (BMI)

Sarangel Music Administered by Tom Snell for Sussman & Associates (US & Canada) and Bug Music (International)