the sound of violence

Erica Leslie Weidner

tell me, do we all associate the second half of “Free Bird” with bloodshed? when we hear it we all know we’re meant to murder someone in the name of God and glory, because Lord knows, I can’t change. that’s what America’s about, I think, tearing through flesh because our country deserves it, because we, ourselves, deserve it. I’m talking about fights, fistfights, barfights—I’m not talking about wars, but about the everyday desire to rip someone else to shreds, Lord help me, I can’t change. when I listen to the second half of “Free Bird” I believe I could roundhouse kick somebody’s head off, never mind that my pants are too tight for that—it’s not about physics but about the feeling. tell me, is there anything more American than that? Lord, I can’t change.