Justin Townes Earle gave us his first full length album in 2008 “The Good Life” after a teasing six track EP “Yuma” the previous year.
Following the relative success of “Yuma” Earle signed for Chicago label Bloodshot Records. The album ran at only just over thirty minutes but gave us ten tracks of country, rockabilly, blues all with Earle’s own unique style.
“Lone Pine Hill” took us back to the time of the American Civil War from a southern man’s perspective and is an incredibly emotive track that tells the tale of a young soldier who just wants to go home to be with his “blue-eyed baby with her best dress on” who is waiting under the shadow of a lonely pine.
The imagery Earle gives us in the song is sad but also hopeful that somehow this recruit would make it back to “Lone Pine Hill”. To some the American Civil War was simply the issue of slavery, and that on the whole is true but when you consider that sixty percent of the Confederate army were simple farmers it begins to fall into place why Earle would write such a poignant message in this three-minute love song.
He takes us from signing up in 1861 with the words “Now, I signed up back in ’61 I’m an army of Virginia man, I’ve been from Manassas to Maconachy all the way to Sailor’s Creek, fighting for my homeland” With that line you can feel the hopeless situation many found themselves in. The Union were the invaders, as they had to be to end the unjust slave trade, but in doing that they were taking homes and lands of folk just looking to live their lives.
Lyrically stunning and played simply on guitar with a haunting lap steel guitar back drop Earle goes on the sing “There’s a strange moon hangin’ overhead tonight, and if the rain keeps coming, then the creek’s gonna rise, but with the good Lord’s grace I’ll make it outta this place and I’ll be in your arms come the morning light, I swear”.
Earle goes on to say, “cause I ain’t never known a man that’s ever owned another, and ain’t ever owned nothing of my own, so after four long years, I just can’t tell you, what the hell I’ve been fighting for”.
Earle leaves us hoping that somehow this young soldier makes it back to Lone Pine Hill and the blue-eyed girl with her best dress on, but as we know many never did on both sides of the divide.
After Justin’s death in August 2020 at the Age of thirty-eight, his father Steve Earle produced an album of Justin’s work. simply titled “JT”. He chose “Lone Pine Hill” as one of ten original songs written by his son for the album simply titled “JT.” “Lone Pine Hill” one of four tracks Steve Earle chose from “The Good Life” album. A fitting tribute.
