Gary Clark Jr. – “This Land” – Single Review

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic

I have not done a single review in awhile, but not many songs have impacted me as much as this one in a long while. Gary Clark Jr. has a new album out called ‘This Land’ and the lead sing, “This Land”, is something that needs to be heard.

The song is about race relations in Trump country and Gary lays it all out with no holding back.  The song is powerful, angry and scary all at the same time.  It is scary because it is true.  It is scary because race relations are getting worse and not better.  We are in 2019, over 50 years after the death of Marin Luther King Jr., and still having the same conversations.  It is sad.

I see it in the news every day and when people get angry enough, you get great songs.  Great protest songs that are brutally honest, trying to shake things up, trying to get people talking, trying to make a difference.  That is why I want to highlight this amazing song.  Discrimination of any kind is unacceptable and needs to be stopped.  This Land is everyone’s land.  That is what this nation was built on and no one should be told to go back to their country.  This land is Mine, This Land is Yours, This Land is Everyone’s!!

The song opens with some menacing electronica sounds before Gary tears into with his blazing guitar.  It is rock, it is blues, it is wonderful.  The song itself, is inspired by Woodie Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” and Woodie even gets writing credits for the song.  The song has all the characteristics a great song needs…a good groove, a hook, an awesome guitar solo (oh that solo is something else) and lyrics that mean something.

This song is easily a 5 out of 5 Stars for me and has been on heavy rotation since I first heard it.  Give it a listen!!

“This Land”

Uh, yeah

Paranoid and pissed off
Now that I got the money
Fifty acres and a model A
Right in the middle of Trump country
I told you, “There goes a neighborhood”
Now Mister Williams ain’t so funny
I see you looking out your window
Can’t wait to call the police on me

Well I know you think I’m up to somethin’
I’m just eating, now we’re still hungry
And this is mine now, legit
I ain’t leavin’ and you can’t take it from me
I remember when you used to tell me

“Nigga run, nigga run
Go back where you come from, uh
Nigga run, nigga run
Go back where you come from
We don’t want, we don’t want your kind
We think you’s a dog born”
Fuck you, I’m America’s son
This is where I come from

This land is mine
This land is mine
This land is mine
This land is mine

Up ’til the sun comes up
No, I can’t start grindin’
And I can’t let ’em break me
No, I can’t let ’em fire me
You can meet my friend the governor
Only if you wanna try me
Or you can meet my other friend, the judge
Just in case you think I’m lyin’

Well I know you think I’m up to somethin’
I’m just eating, now we’re still hungry
And this is mine now, legit
I ain’t leavin’ and you can’t take it from me
I remember when you used to tell me

“Nigga run, nigga run
Go back where you come from, uh
Nigga run, nigga run
Go back where you come from
We don’t want, we don’t want your kind
We think you’s a dog born”
Fuck you, I’m America’s son
This is where I come from

This land is mine, yeah
This land is mine
This land is mine, yeah
This land is mine, yeah

I remember, I remember when they used to tell me

“Nigga run, nigga run
Go back where you come from, uh
Nigga run, nigga run
Go back where you come from
We don’t want, we don’t want your kind
We think you’s a dog born”
Fuck you, I’m America’s son
This is where I come from

This land is mine, uh
This land is mine, uh
This land is mine, uh
This land is mine, uh
This land is mine
This land is mine, uh
This land is mine, uh
(This land is mine, yeah)

(This land is mine, this land is)
(This land is mine, this land is)
(This land is mine, this land is)
(This land is mine, this land is)
(This land is mine, this land is)
(This land is mine, this land is)
(This land is mine, this land is)
(This land is mine, this land is)

Written by Gary Clark Jr. and Woodie Guthrie

13 thoughts on “Gary Clark Jr. – “This Land” – Single Review”

  2. I watched that Video u posted John. Pretty good actually as I have heard and read about the name but have never listened too until just now…
    Good stuff

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      1. Will do as I do indeed love the live albums. Will definitely check it out once I’m through the Snake set and the Webster/various vinyl I have accumulated over rate last little bit

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        1. You have picked up a lot lately. Yes, the Snake one takes some time. After I went through all the CDs, I went on to Apple Music and created a playlist that put the songs on the 3 Mixes CDs in order. So basically it was the US Mix, the UK Mix and the 2019 Mix of each song so I could listen back to back each song for any differences between each version. it was fun. I will have my review on Monday (I think).

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