Copperhead Road


Copperhead Road is the third studio album by Steve Earle, released in 1988. The album is often referred to as Earle's first "rock record"; Earle himself calls it the world's first blend of heavy metal and bluegrass, and the January 26, 1989 review of the album by Rolling Stone suggested that the style be called "power twang".

Composition

The songs on side one of the album reflect Earle's politics: the title track attacks the war on drugs, and the song "Snake Oil" compares then president Ronald Reagan to a traveling con man and draws attention to his "legacy of creative deceit". The title track and "Johnny Come Lately" both describe the experiences of returning veterans. The latter compares the experience of US servicemen fighting in World War II with those in the Vietnam War, and contrasts the differing receptions they received on returning home. "Back to the Wall" is about poverty, describing the life of the homeless in the US.
The second side of the album consists of more traditional love songs and a Christmas-themed offering in "Nothing but a Child", a duet performed with Maria McKee.

Reception

In declaring Copperhead Road Rock Album of the Week on October 21, 1988, The New York Times described it as "exactly half of a brilliant album, with five smart, ornery, memorable story-songs." With references to Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp and the Rolling Stones the paper applauded Earle for introducing country music's storytelling and three-chord structures to rockabilly and contemporary rock music. Side two, however, the Times dismissed as "strictly average" love songs and a "hokey" Christmas song. Time, including it in the September 19, 1988, Critics' Choices, described it as a "rock-inflected, country-based album" that "takes long chances with big themes ... and does them proud".
Rolling Stone published their review of Copperhead Road on January 26, 1989. Rob Tannenbaum wrote that the album "begins murderously and ends sentimentally ... split into two song cycles" and described the first side as being "as powerful as any music made this year". Of side two he admits disappointment at conventional love songs, saying Earle "has already examined this terrain and done a better job of it." Nonetheless, the review compares Earle to Randy Newman, Bruce Springsteen, and Waylon Jennings among others, and concludes with Rolling Stones designation of Earle as an "important artist" and finding Copperhead Road worthy of four stars.
Airplay on rock radio stations drove the title track into Billboards Album Rock Top Ten chart, and that in turn helped Copperhead Road on Billboard's Album Chart, where it peaked at number 56.
Waylon Jennings covered "The Devil's Right Hand" on 1986's Will [the Wolf Survive]. "I was a big Waylon Jennings fan", noted Bob Seger, who covered the song on 2014's Ride Out. "I heard 'The Devil's Right Hand' in a movie called Betrayed in 1988. Every time I'd see it on cable, maybe once every five years, I'd say, 'Goddamn, that's a cool song. I want to do that some day.' And then, in maybe 2000, I found the movie in a movie bin, watched it and was like, 'Oh my god, Steve Earle wrote it! No wonder I like it.
In 2000 it was voted number 412 in Colin Larkin's Time [Top 1000">Time (magazine)">Time [Top 1000 Albums].

Track listing

Original release (1988)

Deluxe edition (2008)

On April 29, 2008, Geffen Records/Universal Music released a 2-disc deluxe edition of Copperhead Road. Disc one is the album as listed above, digitally remastered. Disc two features previously unreleased live recordings.

Disc two

Personnel

The Pogues
Telluride
Technical
  • Joe Hardy – recording, mixing
  • Chris Birkett – recording on "Johnny Come Lately"
  • Simon Levy – art direction
  • Jeff Morris – design
  • June Beard – patch design

    Chart performance

Although no singles from the album were released in the U.S., three of the album's tracks were released as singles in the UK.
UK SingleRelease datePeak position
"Copperhead Road"45
"Johnny Come Lately"75
"Back to the Wall"did not chart