Oil of Hate (MP3s)

[ 7 MP3 files in this post, of which two are nearly identical. ]

They say that history repeats itself, but it is still quite surprising when it does so as literally as it did in 2003. The US under George Bush attacked Iraq under Saddam Hussein, exactly as it had happened 12 years earlier in 1991. They also say that copying degrades quality, so it may come as no surprise that the second attempt turned out a bit more disastrous than the first.

Anyway, many people weren't even happy with the first George Bush and the first Iraq war. One of them was the inventor of LSD Country & Western, guitar and banjo wizard Eugene Chadbourne. He released a 7" vinyl single called "Oil of Hate" on Blackjack Records, "dedicated to the memories of everyone who has died or will die in the folly of 1991, the USA/Iraq battle". Apart from the fact that he is namedropping Oliver North and Margaret Thatcher, it could have been written in 2003 or even today. That is one advantage of repeating history, we can recycle protest songs without even changing the lyrics. Without much ado, here is Eugene's universal anti-war single in MP3 form:

1 If You Don't Stop These Wars, I'm Gonna Call The Police (MP3) - The girl singing here is the uncredited star of this whole recording.
2 Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die (Iraq) (FCC) (MP3) - Unfortunately the Iraq war wasn't an exact copy of Vietnam, so Eugene Chadbourne had to change the lyrics of this Country Joe McDonald classic. The text contains the word "Dick" which is a federal offense unless it is accompanied by "Cheney", so I made a clean version for the kids: Feel Like I'm Fixin' To die (Iraq) (censored) (MP3)
3 Peace Medley (MP3) - A duet of Eugene and the uncredited girl which starts on the first side and continues on the second side of the single. I patched it together electronically, you may now marvel at the wonders of modern audio editing.
4 National Bummer (MP3) - Recorded live 1981 in Greensboro, NC, with David Licht on drums, and Shep the Hep playing bass.
5 Oil of Hate (MP3) - Eugene claims that this is a solo recording, but to my ears it sounds like someone is playing bass. Who knows, maybe there is a rational explanation.
6 Peace Peace Peace Peace (MP3) - The uncredited girl wraps it up with a short experimental vocal piece piece piece piece.

Addendum: The uncredited girl was in fact Eugene's daughter Molly, who must have been about 6 years old at the time.

Comments

[Phil Hall]

According to the good Doctors website (http://www.eugenechadbourne.com/), the girl singer is Molly Chadbourne, who i think was responsible for the cover art for 'LSD Country and Western'.

[Lukas]

Thanks Phil, I added the information in the post. I only scanned the credits on the cover, not the website, when I wrote this. Duh!

[blatherskite]

Wow, that's a time-warp for me. Thanks for posting it.

I still think Eugene's "There'll Be No Tears Tonight" LP (free-improvised country and western bebop) is one of the greatest things ever recorded.

[Noisejoke]

Fabulous! What a trove! I'm pleased Eugene gets his due - I say Aye to that assessment of No Tears..., but Shockabilly still gets little respect for some reason. "National Bummer" and the album it appeared on, Colloseum, remain great. Props to Dave Licht, master of many skins.

[Eugene Chadbourne]

Thanks so much for referencing this little-known Blackjack single.
Molly Chadbourne is still actively performing anti-war material with me. I would like to recommend the new DVD by the Get Out of Iraq (G.O.I.N.) band: Molly's performance of Girl From Al Queada was (I think) praised by Cecil Taylor and I think her Old Piano on this is one of the best things I have ever recorded. Best,
Doc Chad