Steve Earle. Copperhead Road

This is perhaps Steve Earle’s signature song. It’s about a Vietnam vet, his grandaddy and daddy were bootleggers, but he had new ideas.

I volunteered for the army on my birthday
They draft the white trash first round here anyway
served two tours of duty in Vietnam
and I came home with a brand new plan
take seed from Columbia and Mexico
plant it in a holler up Copperhead Road.

Now the DEA’s got a chopper in the air
and I wake up screaming like I’m back over there
learned a few things from Charlie, don’t you know
Better stay away from Copperhead Road.