Equalizer: Popular Songs Without A Bullet

BY JONAS BEALS

THE FREE LANCE-STAR

The recent discussions and arguments about gun violence have hit on some of the usual explanations: movies, television shows and video games. There’s little doubt that our entertainment is riddled with bullets, but, setting aside the issues of influence and causation, is music worthy of inclusion in that questionable category?

Guns are certainly commonplace in popular songs, from controversial rap tunes like “Cop Killer” by Body Count to country hits like “Gunpowder and Lead” by Miranda Lambert.

But popular music is also one of the few mass-market entertainment mediums in which  you will hear anti-gun sentiments (outside of Batman, who won’t use guns, but will put them all over his cars, motorcycles and helicopters).

Here are some songs that deal with the downside of gunplay.

‘Pancho and Lefty’ by Townes Van Zandt

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SjwO17gsqU[/youtube]

Perhaps the most famous song by this master songwriter, it deals with Pancho,  a bandit boy who terrorizes Mexicans with the pistol on his hip. It’s not quite clear what happens, but Pancho ends up dead and Lefty ends up in Cleveland. Either way, intimidating people with guns ends up badly.

‘Jeremy’ by Pearl Jam

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS91knuzoOA[/youtube]

One of Pearl Jam’s greatest hits is based on the real-life story of Jeremy Wade Delle, a Texas high school student who killed himself with a .357 Magnum revolver in front of his English class. The song takes a dim view of guns, but it mostly portrays the futility of suicide.

‘Ohio’ by  Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SswXJX6X-ow[/youtube]

While not explicitly denouncing gun violence, the song uses the 1970 Kent State shootings to question American authorities and the public’s response to such a terrible episode.

‘Saturday Night Special’ by Lynyrd Skynyrd

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AtGZBWRmLA[/youtube]

It might come as a surprise that a Southern rock band would take an anti-gun stance in a song, but here we are. Not only does Skynyrd want to throw all handguns “to the bottom of the sea,” they say that handguns “are made for killin’” and “ain’t no good for nuthin’ else.” The aggressive music underlines two misunderstandings that turn deadly thanks to a handy pistol.

‘Tonz “O” Gunz’ by Gang Starr

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoAfR108pLA[/youtube]

Conventional wisdom suggests hip–hop is full of lyrics that glorify guns. That is true, to an extent, but hip–hop also has a slew of strong anti-gun tracks that decry the way gun violence has destroyed neighborhoods, families, friendships and large swaths of urban black culture.

‘American Skin (41 Shots)’ by Bruce Springsteen

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nghqjBwZTiE[/youtube]

Bruce wrote this song to highlight the 1999 shooting of 23-year-old Amadou Diallo, who was shot 19 times by four New York City Police officers. They fired 41 rounds at Diallo, an immigrant from Guinea, when he ran from the police and reached into his pocket. It turned out he was unarmed and was reaching for his wallet. Bruce didn’t exactly sympathize with the officers.

‘Bubba Shot the Jukebox’ by Mark Chestnutt

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VKdwx5AB5k[/youtube]

Guns don’t always kill people—they can also kill the music. Bubba, saddened by a country song, puts an end to it with a pistol. More proof that when emotions are running high, a gun probably isn’t the best solution.

JONAS’ IN-TOWN PICK: The Unites States Navy Sea Chanters at Colonial Forge High School in Stafford. As the Navy’s official chorus, they sing a little bit of everything, including sea chanteys. Saturday at 7 p.m.

OUT-OF-TOWN PICK: Umphrey’s McGee at The National in Richmond. A supremely talented jamband in the vein of Rush, Zappa and Yes. Saturday at 7 p.m.

LISTENING TO: “Johnny Too Bad” by The Slickers. One of the greatest reggae songs ever recorded and another great commentary on a bad guy with a gun. Taj Mahal’s version is also worth a listen.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRm7j2UL3YY[/youtube]

Jonas Beals: 540/368-5036

jbeals@freelancestar.com

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