Why We Fight (John Wesley Harding album)

Why We Fight
Studio album by John Wesley Harding
Released	1992
Genre	Folk
Label	Sire[1]
Producer	Steve Berlin
John Wesley Harding chronology
The Name Above the Title (1991) Why We Fight (1992) Pett Levels: The Summer EP (1993)

Why We Fight is an album by the English musician John Wesley Harding, released in 1992.^[2][3] As with many of Harding's albums, the title is a reference to Frank Capra's work; Harding had considered using the Kinks homage Give the People What I Want as the title.^[4][5] Harding described the album's sound as "folk noir".^[6] Harding supported the album by touring with Barenaked Ladies and Mare Winningham.^[7][8]

Production

Written in San Francisco and recorded in Los Angeles, the album was produced by Steve Berlin.^[9][10][11] Harding picked Berlin after hearing the producer's work on Leo Kottke's Great Big Boy.^[12] Greg Leisz played pedal steel on the album.^[13] Green on Red's Chris Cacavas contributed vocals.^[14] Harding wrote "Hitler's Tears", a song about fascism, after watching television footage of Pat Buchanan and David Duke.^[15]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[16]
Deseret News	[14]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[17]
The Indianapolis Star	[18]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[1]
The Republican	[6]

Trouser Press wrote that Harding "opts for earthier, less contrived grooves and cuts down (though hardly eliminates) the [Elvis] Costello echoes."^[10] The Washington Post stated that the album "replaces the musical Attractions of Harding's previous work with a more rustic, less derivative approach."^[11] The Chicago Tribune thought that the songs "wrestle with moral dilemmas and revel in humanistic detail."^[19]

Stereo Review called Why We Fight "a lengthy album whose politics are always correct and almost always obvious," noting that Harding "writes facilely about iconic figures ... and poses questions that are more well-intentioned than illuminating."^[20] The Indianapolis Star deemed the songs "well-scripted tales with catchy tunes."^[18] The Vancouver Sun labeled "Kill the Messenger" "a swinging folk-rocker that may be Harding's best tune yet."^[21] The Star-Ledger panned the "lyrical vagueness."^[22] The Knoxville News Sentinel listed it as the fourth best album of 1992.^[23]

AllMusic called Why We Fight "arguably his strongest album and boasting the perfect balance of folk and attitude."^[16]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Kill the Messenger"
2.	"Ordinary Weekend"
3.	"The Truth"
4.	"Dead Centre of Town"
5.	"Into the Wind"
6.	"Hitler's Tears"
7.	"Get Back Down"
8.	"Me Against Me"
9.	"The Original Miss Jesus"
10.	"Where the Bodies Are"
11.	"Millionaire's Dream"
12.	"Come Gather Round"

References

1. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 526.
2. "John Wesley Harding Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
3. Eichenberger, Bill (September 3, 1992). "A native of Hastings, England, and a graduate of Cambridge University...". Weekender. The Columbus Dispatch. p. 8.
4. "John Wesley Harding's 'Why We Fight'". Morning Edition. NPR. Aug 28, 1992.
5. Gettelman, Parry (13 Nov 1992). "Wit and Sophistication Illuminate 'Why We Fight'". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 5.
6. O'Hare, Kevin (September 13, 1992). "John Wesley Harding, 'Why We Fight'". The Republican. p. D2.
7. Okamoto, David (November 20, 1992). "Preview". Guide. The Dallas Morning News. p. 45.
8. Brown, Mark (December 1, 1992). "Harding is nearly upstaged – Barenaked's Ladies are a triumph". Orange County Register. p. F5.
9. DeVault, Russ (November 13, 1992). "Harding no longer doth protest too much". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. F4.
10. "John Wesley Harding". Trouser Press. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
11. "Why Harding Sings". The Washington Post. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
12. Harris, Paul A. (6 Sep 1992). "Los Lobos: Recording High-Tech Music with an Ethnic Flavor". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 3F.
13. "Audio – Why We Fight by John Wesley Harding". Guitar Player. Vol. 27, no. 1. Jan 1993. p. 116.
14. Vice, Jeff (December 5, 1992). "3 'New Wave' Groups Test Boundaries of Folk-Rock". Deseret News. p. B7.
15. Martelle, Scott (November 13, 1992). "Harding Singing About Society's Ills". USA Today.
16. "Why We Fight". AllMusic.
17. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 129.
18. Bacon, Scott (25 Sep 1992). "John Wesley Harding disturbs the peace with best album". The Indianapolis Star. p. B5.
19. Kot, Greg (18 Oct 1992). "Connecting Eavesdropping on Lou Reed and John Wesley Harding". Arts. Chicago Tribune. p. 6.
20. "Popular Music — Why We Fight by John Wesley Harding". Stereo Review. Vol. 57, no. 12. Dec 1992. p. 99.
21. Mackie, John (12 Dec 1992). "John Wesley Harding: Why We Fight". Vancouver Sun. p. C18.
22. Lustig, Jay (September 20, 1992). "Poet-Singers Tilt at Windmills While Still Releasing Albums". News. The Star-Ledger.
23. Bledsoe, Wayne (December 20, 1992). "Year's Best Music?". Showtime. Knoxville News Sentinel. p. 2.