According to Bob Dylan's autobiographical Chronicles, Woody Guthrie gave his unpublished songs to Dylan but Bob was unable to get them from Guthrie's family (he tells a story about a reluctant babysitter).
Nora Guthrie's liner notes in Mermaid Avenue indicate that it was her intention that the songs be given to a new generation of musicians who would be able to make the songs relevant to a younger generation. She therefore contacted singer-songwriter Billy Bragg in spring 1995 about recording some unreleased songs by her father, folk singer Woody Guthrie. Most of the songs were written late in Guthrie's life when he was unable to record due to the motor impairments of Huntington's disease. By the 1990s, Woody Guthrie had become a "relic" to the MTV generation, and Nora sought to establish a different legacy for the musician. To Nora, Bragg was "the only singer I knew taking on the same issues as Woody." Bragg was concerned, however, that his fans would not realize that the songs were written by Guthrie when he performed them on tour, so he decided to record the album with another band.
Bragg contacted Tweedy and Bennett about co-recording the album while Wilco was on the European segment of their Being There tour. Bragg was particularly fond of Being There because their influences extended farther back than the 1950s. Although Tweedy was indifferent to the offer, Bennett was enthused about recording songs of one of his idols—Bennett's previous band Titanic Love Affair was named after a Billy Bragg lyric. A recording contract between Bragg and Wilco was signed after a show at Shepherd's Bush Empire. Bragg mostly recorded the politically-charged lyrics, while Tweedy preferred to record lyrics that showcased Guthrie as a "freak weirdo." The recording of Mermaid Avenue began on December 12, 1997, and was the topic of BBC's Man in the Sand documentary film.
Tempers flared between Bragg and Wilco after the album was completed. Bennett believed that Bragg was overproducing his songs, a sharp contrast to Wilco's sparser contributions. Bennett called Bragg about the possibility of remixing Bragg's songs, to which Bragg responded with "you make your record, and I'll make mine, fucker." Eventually Bragg sent copies of his recordings to Chicago for Bennett to remix, but Bragg refused to use the new mixes on the album. The two parties were unable to establish a promotional tour and quarreled over royalties and guest musician fees.
Despite these conflicts, the album was released on June 23, 1998, and sold over 277,000 copies. The album received rave reviews from Robert Christgau and Rolling Stone, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. It also placed fourth on the Pazz & Jop critics poll for 1998 (right behind Bob Dylan's Live 1966).
Aginst Th' Law
Billy Bragg & Wilco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Against the law to loaf, against the law to work
Against the law to read, against the law to write
Against the law to be a black, brown or white
Ever'thing's against the law
I'm a low pay daddy singing the high price blues
It's against the law to eat, against the law to drink
Against the law to marry or try to settle down
Against the law to ramble like a bum from town to town
Ever'thing's against the law
I'm a low pay daddy singing the high price blues
It's against the law to come, against the law to go
Against the law to ride, against the law to roll
Against the law to hug, against the law to kiss
Against the law to shoot, against the law to miss
Ever'thing's against the law
I'm a low pay daddy singing the high price blues
It's against the law to gamble, it's against the law to roam
Against the law to organize or try to build a home
Against the law to sing, against the law to dance
Against the law to tell y'all the trouble on my hands
Ever'thing in Winston-Salem is against the law
I'm a low pay daddy singin' the high price blues
Yeah, you know me and my boy
We was down in North Carolina not too far from Winston-Salem
Five-oh stopped us, tryna talk some stuff
I said: "The police might arrest me
But the judge gon' set me free"
Man-made law, I heed, no way
Ever'thing in Winston-Salem is against the law
I'm a low pay daddy singin' the high price blues
The lyrics of "Against Th' Law" by Billy Bragg & Wilco convey a feeling of oppression, pointing out how most activities that make up human life are prohibited. The song starts with typical activities like walking, talking, or working that are all illegal. This aspect highlights how little control and freedom people have over their lives. Even basic human activities are deemed against the law. The song continues to express the oppressive laws that regulate other areas of life like love, marriage, singing, and more. The last line, "Ever'thing in Winston-Salem is against th' law," highlights how oppressive laws can be region-specific and can control people's actions to a great extent.
Line by Line Meaning
It's aginst th' law to walk, it's aginst th' law to talk
Expresses how strict the laws are, by saying that even walking, talking and loafing (doing nothing) is against the law.
It's aginst th' law to loaf, it's aginst th' law to work
The government doesn't allow people to be idle or even work, which is ironic because there seem to be no good choices.
It's aginst th' law to read, it's aginst th' law to write
The people are not allowed to learn, because knowledge is power and the government wants to keep the power to themselves.
It's aginst th' law to be a black, brown or white
Discrimination is part of the unjust laws, where being any race is forbidden by law.
Ever'thing's aginst th' law
The chorus repeats throughout the song to reinforce how oppressive the laws are, and how they control every aspect of people's lives.
It's aginst th' law to eat, it's aginst th' law to drink
The basic necessities of life such as eating and drinking are even forbidden under the harsh laws.
It's aginst th' law to worry, it's aginst th' law to think
The government not only wants to control people's physical actions, but also their thoughts and emotions, preventing them from questioning the system.
It's aginst th' law to marry or try to settle down
Even forming relationships and trying to create a stable, happy life is banned, showing how oppressive the rules are.
It's aginst th' law to ramble like a bum from town to town
The government wants complete control over people's movement and doesn't allow them to travel without proper authorization.
It's aginst th' law to come, it's aginst th' law to go
The government monitors every move of the people and doesn't even allow them to enter or leave a place without permission.
It's aginst th' law to ride, it's aginst th' law to roll
Even modes of transportation such as riding and rolling (like on a skateboard) are outlawed.
It's aginst th' law to hug, it's aginst th' law to kiss
Physical affection is outlawed and even something as simple as hugging or kissing is a crime.
It's aginst th' law to shoot, it's aginst th' law to miss
Guns are highly regulated and even failure to use them properly is punishable by law.
It's aginst th' law to gamble, it's aginst th' law to roam
Entertainment and leisure activities such as gambling and roaming around freely are banned to control people's actions and prevent rebellion.
It's aginst th' law to organize or try to build a home
The government doesn't want people to come together to work towards common goals and even constructing homes is outlawed, making them homeless.
It's aginst th' law to sing, it's aginst th' law to dance
Even expressing oneself through the arts such as singing and dancing is forbidden.
It's aginst th' law to tell you all th' trouble on my hands
People are not allowed to speak out about their problems and grievances or share them with others, keeping them suppressed and oppressed.
Ever'thing in winston-salem is aginst th' law
The final line emphasizes that this is a specific location where everything is against the law, but can be extended to any place where laws are tyrannical and oppressive.
I'm a low pay daddy singing th' high price blues
The singer is expressing his own struggles and hardships as a low-income worker, who is affected the most by the rigid laws and corrupt system.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Woody Guthrie, Stephen Bragg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@colelocke4967
Thanks so much for the post. For the record the vocal duties on this track were handled by the excellent Corey Harris.
@nickbadgio
So I was just listen to random music and I heard this song for the first time today.
I live in Winston-Salem, NC.
@jantifa1509
I’m from WS! First time I heard this song I had to double take, it was surreal! Never knew any cool shit ever happened.
@chironOwlglass
Every time anyone mentions Winston-Salem I immediately say "Everything in Winston-Salem is against the law"
@JeremyKamil
one of the best songs!!!
@valeriy8502
This is awesome, I never heard this version before, only the one on Til We Outnumber 'Em which is an all time favourite.
@rosscook5984
pure gold.mmm fuck yeah
@jamesdixon2338
Lived in W-S for a few years recently. Literally 2021 same song
@woden22
Such a classic, catchy as hell. I wish someone would record Guthrie's "Old Man Trump", a song about the Orange Villain's father and his discriminatory renting practices in NYC in the mid-20th century. Prescient, as Guthrie usually was.
@marcosperalta7709
Buena canción para sentirse bien con la rebeldía interior.