Steve Earle - Rich Man's War Lyrics






Jimmy joined the army 'cause he had no place to go
There ain't nobody hirin'
'round here since all the jobs went
Down to Mexico
Reckoned that he'd learn himself a trade maybe see the world
Move to the city someday and marry a black haired girl
Somebody somewhere had another plan
Now he's got a rifle in his hand
Rollin' into Baghdad wonderin' how he got this far
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man's war

Bobby had an eagle and a flag tattooed on his arm
Red white and blue to the bone when he landed in Kandahar
Left behind a pretty young wife and a baby girl
A stack of overdue bills and went off to save the world
Been a year now and he's still there
Chasin' ghosts in the thin dry air
Meanwhile back at home the finance company took his car
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man's war

When will we ever learn
When will we ever see
We stand up and take our turn
And keep tellin' ourselves we're free

Ali was the second son of a second son
Grew up in Gaza throwing bottles and rocks when the tanks would come
Ain't nothin' else to do around here just a game children play
Somethin' 'bout livin' in fear all your life makes you hard that way

He answered when he got the call
Wrapped himself in death and praised Allah
A fat man in a new Mercedes drove him to the door
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man's war





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Steve Earle Rich Man's War Comments
  1. J.... E....

    Three magas have watched this.

  2. E.... G....

    Meanwhile back at home the finance company took his car. That's my favorite lyric. Happened to me, Persian gulf 1994.

  3. L.... B....

    The feudal barons of the Middle Ages, the economic predecessors of the capitalists of our day, declared all wars. And their miserable serfs fought all the battles. The poor, ignorant serfs had been taught to revere their masters; to believe that when their masters declared war upon one another, it was their patriotic duty to fall upon one another and to cut one another’s throats for the profit and glory of the lords and barons who held them in contempt. And that is war in a nutshell. The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and all to lose—especially their lives." - Eugene V. Debs

  4. w.... ....

    Remember this time period very well, great song.

    w.... ....

    whitebluesky n. B

  5. J.... B....

    I'm Jimmy. No jobs, hungry and cold. They put a rifle in my hands.
    Things were OK then they killed my president. When I got home it was
    different, I was different. After four kids the dark haired girl
    couldn't take me anymore. I'm still here 73 and trying to stop WAR !
    Evil just keeps wining.

    J.... B....

    JYJIM BUGI yea. Its a bitch hang in there

    J.... B....

    My dad was out by 65... just as all the guys on his track team were getting drafted... he's anti-war as only someone who has seen it and been in it can be. Rock on JY JIM BUG.

  6. M.... ....

    tell em steve

  7. A.... T....

    Great song!! Steve Earle your music is amazing!!

  8. j.... ....

    Thay played this in class and I was the only one that cried 😭😪😥

  9. E.... M....

    I was There, I remembered this was a highlight.