He joined his first band when he was ten-years old. “It was called, The Plastic Mind. We played at a schoolmate’s birthday party, but we only knew one song, Windy, by The Association. We just played it over and over. Midway through the fourth time, the kids rebelled, unplugged us and started playing records. It taught me a valuable lesson that I still use to this day – When you’re doing a one hour show, always try to know more than one song.”
Haner played in several local bands until he was sixteen. That’s when he was asked to join Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. “Nobody remembers them, but everybody remembers their hit songs, Wooly Bully & Little Red Riding Hood. I spent the entire summer singing Wooly Bully behind Sam. It was a bit surreal because the last time I had played that song was on my mom’s broom.”
He spent his high school years working in nightclubs around the greater Los Angeles area. Just shy of his eighteenth birthday, he auditioned for Frank Zappa. “I auditioned for his touring band, but didn’t get the job. I assumed I would never hear from him again, but a few months later I got a call from his office asking if I was available for some session work. Needless to say, it was an unforgettable experience.”
After high school, Haner spent a year studying composition, music theory and orchestration at the prestigious Grove School of Music in Los Angeles. During that same time he began a year long relationship with ex-Motown mogul, Norman Whitfield. “Norman penned tunes like Ain’t too Proud to Beg, Papa was a Rolling Stone and Car Wash,” Haner notes. “Recording for him and watching him produce was like getting a Masters from Julliard – except I didn’t get a diploma or the respect that comes with a post-graduate degree.”
At the age of 22, Haner signed a multi-record deal with Polydor Records. His first album, Don’t Stop Now, was released under the pseudonym, The Brian West Band, and was certified gold in Scandinavia. “We toured extensively in Europe and had some limited success there,” Haner says, “but by the time we got back to the states, the band blew up and we all went our separate ways. I think I may have slept with the bass player’s girlfriend. The 80’s are kind of a blur.”
Haner continued doing session work and working the club circuit in L.A. during the 90’s as well as dabbling in television and movie scoring, working on shows like TV 101 and Eerie, Indiana. “Music scores are like wallpaper,” Haner explains. “It’s there to add ambiance, but you’re not supposed to notice it. I had a lot of practice writing music that nobody noticed, so I was confident in my abilities. But wouldn’t you know it? They noticed it, so my scoring career was somewhat short-lived.”
He was signed to a publishing contract in Nashville as a writer in 2003 and released two indie CD’s entitled, My Old Guitar & Carney Man, respectively. “No matter how hard I tried to be serious, my songs always came out left of center. I was getting far more recognition as a comedy-song writer than I was as a serious one. A lot of my songs were in the first person so nobody wanted to record them. I suppose it makes sense,” Haner continues, “I mean, Kenny Chesney doesn’t want to sing about being a carney – even though I think he’d make a dandy one.”
Haner stepped on stage at The Improv Comedy Club in Los Angeles for the first time as a standup comedian in the summer of 2006. Within six months he was working the comedy circuit full-time, playing to packed houses and getting rave reviews.
In 2007, he lent his talents to the latest Warner Bros. CD by his son’s VMA award winning band, Avenged Sevenfold. “Watching my son succeed at such a high level and being able to help him has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life – and he gives me free guitar strings.”
For the past year, he has been touring the U.S. with Jeff Dunham, selling out arenas from coast to coast. Besides receiving rave reviews as Jeff’s opening act, “Guitar Guy”, he has brought his gift of song to Jeff’s loveable cast of characters. The whole gang will be singing Haner’s original tunes on Jeff’s upcoming Comedy Central Christmas special and DVD – Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas. The companion CD, Don’t Come Home For Christmas, will contain 12 original songs.
On the rare nights Haner has off from The Jeff Dunham Show, he can be seen headlining Improv Comedy Clubs across the country.
Arizona
Brian Haner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The economies down
Hard to find work but it won't be long til
I'm singing a different tune
Cause there's a place I know
Where there's gonna be jobs real soon
I'm gonna move to Arizona where they enforce the law
When they build that wall
And when I'm done with that I can always find work
Standing out in front of Home Depot
God bless Arizona that's where I wanna go
Might get a job doing dishes at Denny's
on the weekend work the window at McDonald's, too
Won't you be surprised when I take order
And I speak English as good as you.
Chorus
I'm gonna move to Arizona where immigration is fine
Everybody's welcome there just as long as they stand in line
I don't care if I piss off Hillary Clinton
Of the President of Mexico
God bless Arizona that's where I wanna go
We elected a brand new Administration
Thinking anekatips they might care
Now we can't afford medical insurance
because we are paying for theirs
Chorus
I'm gonna move to Arizona before its too late
If you haven't noticed yet this country ain't running so great
The guy we elected won fair and square
We got nobody to blame but ourselves
But we can change all that
When we vote in 2012
God bless Arizona (x3)
The lyrics of Brian Haner's song Arizona express his frustration with the lack of job opportunities and the struggling economy in his hometown. He sees Arizona as a promising destination where there will be plenty of work due to the enforcement of immigration laws and the construction of a border wall. He plans to become a bricklayer and work hard to make a living. He is willing to take on any job to support himself, even working at fast-food restaurants. Haner also highlights his willingness to assimilate and speak English just as well as anyone else. He mentions his indifference towards offending political figures who are not in favor of Arizona's stance on immigration.
The song has a patriotic and rebellious tone that reflects Haner's belief in the American dream and the importance of hard work. He sees Arizona as a place where he can achieve his goals and live a better life, and he invites others to join him in taking control of their futures by voting in elections. The song also brings attention to the issue of illegal immigration, which is a contentious topic in the United States.
Line by Line Meaning
Times are tough in my home town unemployment's up
My hometown is struggling economically and there aren't many job opportunities because unemployment is high.
The economies down
The economy in my town is weak and not performing well, adding to the lack of employment opportunities.
Hard to find work but it won't be long til
Though jobs are scarce now, I know that I won't be unemployed forever and I'll be able to find work soon enough.
I'm singing a different tune
My situation will change for the better and I'll have a more optimistic attitude once I secure a job or move somewhere with better job prospects.
Cause there's a place I know
I have my sights on a specific location I think will offer me better job prospects than my current hometown.
Where there's gonna be jobs real soon
I believe that the place I want to move will have an abundance of job opportunities, and there will be jobs available in the near future.
I'm gonna move to Arizona where they enforce the law
Arizona is attractive to me because they have a reputation for being strict with enforcing laws, which may bring stability to the state.
I'll be a brick laying sun of a b!tch
I plan to work physically demanding jobs, like laying bricks, which may be more difficult but provide steady employment.
When they build that wall
Referring to the controversial border wall plans between the US and Mexico, which could provide job opportunities in the construction industry.
And when I'm done with that I can always find work
Even when the border wall is finished, I'll still have job options beyond that, like day labor outside Home Depot.
Standing out in front of Home Depot
Referring to the practice of waiting outside hardware stores for work as a day laborer in hopes of being picked up for work that day.
God bless Arizona that's where I wanna go
I have a deep appreciation for Arizona and it's where I want to move for better job prospects.
Might get a job doing dishes at Denny's
I'm willing to take any job I can get, even one as low-level as washing dishes at a fast food chain like Denny's.
On the weekend work the window at McDonald's, too
I'm willing to work a job with an unsteady schedule, like fast food, in order to make ends meet.
Won't you be surprised when I take order
Despite assumptions that I may not speak English well, I'll prove people wrong when I take customers' orders and am fluent in the language.
And I speak English as good as you.
I'm capable of speaking English as well as anyone else, regardless of where I come from or what people might expect.
I'm gonna move to Arizona where immigration is fine
Arizona has laws in place that regulate immigration well, which is appealing to me as someone looking to move there.
Everybody's welcome there just as long as they stand in line
Perhaps alluding to the need for immigrants to properly apply for citizenship, but suggesting that as long as they follow the correct procedures they will be welcomed.
I don't care if I piss off Hillary Clinton
My political beliefs) may differ from those of certain politicians, but that won't affect my decision to move to Arizona.
Of the President of Mexico
Political turmoil or changes in Mexico won't dissuade me from wanting to move to Arizona.
We elected a brand new Administration
Following a new Administration coming to power, I thought they might help improve the economy and job market in my hometown.
Thinking they might care
I had hopes that the new Administration may take actions to help reverse the town's economic struggles.
Now we can't afford medical insurance
Ironically, the new Administration's policies have led to unforeseeable financial struggles for myself and others, such as affording medical insurance.
Because we are paying for theirs
Perhaps suggesting that the policies enacted by the new Administration are only serving the interests of people in power, and at the expense of citizens.
I'm gonna move to Arizona before its too late
Worried about my own financial and job security, I want to move to Arizona soon while I still have the means and ability to do so.
If you haven't noticed yet this country ain't running so great
The state of the country's economy and policies have led me to think it's time to make a dramatic move like leaving my hometown for a new state.
The guy we elected won fair and square
Though I may not agree with everything the new Administration has done, I acknowledge that they were democratically elected into power.
We got nobody to blame but ourselves
As citizens, we hold responsibility for the state of our country, and any negative changes or policies implemented can be traced back to our own citizenry.
But we can change all that
Despite past events, there is still hope for change if citizens get involved and take initiative through actions such as voting in 2012.
When we vote in 2012
Encouraging people to get involved in the political process by casting their votes in upcoming elections.
God bless Arizona (x3)
Reiterating his love and appreciation for the state of Arizona.
Contributed by Alexandra T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@SynVanSambora
I think him playing a guitar solo on top of a minivan may be the greatest moment of all time.
@Dastardly_X
🌟
@onemanarmy1702
0:45 HE PREDICTED THE FUTURE
@Bananapeel8I
onemanarmy1702 Made me re-check the date this came out...
@srv020865
Excellent, heard this on Sirius radio while mowing the lawn today... Laughed my butt off all the way through.
@reubenginsburg2012
2:07 that American flag Syn Custom is the same one you can see him using in the documentary of Avenged Sevenfold making their self titled album. pretty cool :) on the Schecter website they have a pic of it on their custom shop page. They actually gave a me a quote, around $3K. just sayin'...
@Psilly_Mand
Reuben Ginsburg did they say it was a synyster guitar or just a custom avenger model
@antoine-pf2wp
It is a synyster guitar because he's the only artist with that headstock for the avenger
@ocsob007
and the song is relevant again!
@Stout4.0
And again