Bandcamp: Wilco – “All Lives, You Say?”

Proceeds will go to the Southern Poverty Law Center, in the memory of Jeff Tweedy’s father, Robert L. Tweedy (1933-2017).

“My dad was named after a Civil War general, and he voted for Barack Obama twice. He used to say ‘If you know better, you can do better.’ America – we know better. We can do better.” – Jeff Tweedy

This gesture, of course, takes on pointed connotations in light of the deplorable events in Charlottesville and our orange fuhrer’s tepid reaction.

All lives, all lives you say
I can see you are afraid
Your skin is so thin
Your heart has escaped
All lives, all lives you say

You were born at the end of a noose
What was up came down with your blues
But you don’t know how to sing anything anyway
So all lives, all lives you say

My mind, my mind is gone
It’s too hard for me to know when I’m wrong
This is the last, dying gasp of a deadly lung
Turning blue on a lawn in the sun

* * *

Many years ago, I saw Tweedy solo at the Vic and his parents were in the audience that night. He dedicated “Casino Queen” to his dad. I think of the verse in “Please Tell My Brother”:

Please tell my father I love him still
Forget the railroad and all those bills
Head for the cooler
And drink your fill
Please tell my father I love him still

Condolences to Jeff Tweedy on the loss of his father. I know how bad it hurts to lose a parent. I hope it helps to raise a little money for a good cause.