Steve Van Zandt was, in the early seventies, a founding member of Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes and played in several of Bruce Springsteen's early bands, joining Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band in 1975.
There were two albums in the 1980s released under the moniker Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul. The first (1982's Men Without Women) earned the most critical praise, while its follow-up (1984's Voice of America) was more successful on the U.S. albums chart, although neither were much of a commercial success.
Van Zandt went on to create the music-industry activist group Artists United Against Apartheid in 1985 and released two more albums as Little Steven - Freedom - No Compromise in 1987 and Revolution in 1989.
Key members of the Disciples were Jean Beauvoir (bass) and Dino Danelli (drums), with contributions on the albums from a variety of others, including Danny Federici, Clarence Clemons and Garry Tallent of the E Street Band.
Since 1999, Van Zandt has played in Springsteen's reformed E Street Band and played a key role (as Silvio Dante) in the Sopranos TV show.
I Am a Patriot
Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was walking with my brother
And he wondered what's on my mind
I said what I believe in my soul
Ain't what I see with my eyes
And we can't turn our backs this time
Because my country is all I know
I want to be with my family, the people who understand me
I've got nowhere else to go
And the river opens for the righteous
And the river opens for the righteous
And the river opens for the righteous, someday
And I was talking with my sister
She looked so fine
I said, "Baby, what's on your mind?"
She said, "I want to run like the lion
Released from the cages
Released from the rages
Burning in my heart tonight"
And I ain't no communist
And I ain't no capitalist
And I ain't no socialist
And I ain't no imperialist
And I ain't' no democrat
And I ain't no republican
I only know one party
And it is freedom
I am, I am, I am
I am a patriot, and I love my country
Because my country is all I know
And the river opens for the righteous
And the river opens for the righteous
And the river opens for the righteous, someday
The lyrics to Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul’s “I Am A Patriot” speak to the singer's love for his country and his desire to express his patriotism in a way that feels authentic to him. The song is a reflection on his personal beliefs and the importance of standing up for what one believes in, even in difficult circumstances. The opening line, “And the river opens for the righteous, someday,” suggests that although progress may be slow, justice will ultimately prevail.
The song also touches on themes of family and the desire to be understood by the people closest to us. The singer feels a deep connection to his country and the people who share his values, and he wants to be with them more than anything else. The line, “And I love my country because my country is all I know,” highlights the importance of one’s roots and the role that they play in shaping our identities.
Finally, the song emphasizes the singer's fierce independence and refusal to be pigeonholed into any one political ideology. He rejects labels like “communist,” “capitalist,” or “socialist,” seeing himself instead as a champion of freedom above all else.
Line by Line Meaning
And the river opens for the righteous, someday
One day, justice will be served.
I was walking with my brother
I was walking with someone I care about.
And he wondered what's on my mind
He was concerned about my thoughts and feelings.
I said what I believe is in my soul
I told him about my deepest beliefs.
Ain't what I see with my eyes
What I believe cannot be seen, but it is still real to me.
And we can't turn our backs this time
We must take action and not ignore our responsibilities.
I am a patriot, and I love my country
I have a strong loyalty and love for my nation.
Because my country is all I know
My home and family are here; this is all I have ever known.
I want to be with my family, the people who understand me
I need to be around those who support me and share my values.
I've got nowhere else to go
I have no other place to turn to or call home.
And I was talking with my sister
I was having a conversation with someone close to me.
She looked so fine
She appeared happy and content.
I said, 'Baby, what's on your mind?'
I wanted to know what was troubling her.
She said, 'I want to run like the lion'
She desires to be free and independent.
Released from the cages, released from the rages
She wants to escape from oppression and anger.
Burning in my heart tonight
Her emotions are intense and overwhelming.
And I ain't no communist, and I ain't no capitalist
I don't belong to any political group or ideology.
And I ain't no socialist, and I ain't no imperialist
I reject any political system that promotes inequality or abuse of power.
And I ain't' no democrat, and I ain't no republican
I don't identify with any of the major parties in my country.
I only know one party
I only support freedom and justice for all people.
And it is freedom, I am, I am, I am
I stand for freedom and equality above all else.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEVEN VAN ZANDT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jerryappleton6855
To those that are criticising his opening speech: he's not wrong.
You can be an environmentalist and a Capitalist.
You can be for global cooperation in many fields such as medicine, environmentalism, war crimes etc and be a patriot.
Indeed, you can argue that you are the former precisely because you are the later.
A patriot wants their nation to thrive, right? To be rich, secure and prosperous. And doesn't being an enthusiastic member of the global community where you cooperate rather than compete do just that?
And capitalists want free markets, right? They want people to have the freedom to trade. Well there won't be much trading once our costal cities are under water, food is scarce and half the world are without power or water. So being an environmentalist is a requirement if you want Capitalism continue for more than the next few decades.
I always say I'm a conservative precisely because I'm working class.
Progressive policies harm the working class most.
Examples: soft on crime: guess where all the free criminals go...working class areas.
Soft on drugs: guess where all the drug dealers set up their operations and who their biggest customers are...working class boys and girls.
Lenient liberal education based on inclusiveness, good feelings and being creative: guess who can't compete with privately educated children who had an education based on discipline, academic rigour and the classics...working class kids.
Alternative families: guess who have the highest fatherlessness, broken homes and unstable family arrangements leading to the highest rates of delayed social development, mental illness and identity crisis....working class kids.
So you can be both of seemingly contradictory positions. As they aren't: people lie that they are.
@ericheine2414
@Zoooma I'm not lying and shame on you for making that assumption. In 1973 I was in Jamaica at the Blue Hole. Bob Marley and his brother were there.
Bob had an old Martin and his brother was playing a maliba bass
made out of a green Samsonite suitcase with a 4-inch whole cut in it and some strips of metal from an old saw blade. They had a copy of the Wailers first released on 8-track.
They were trying to sell me a copy for $10. I already had a copy up at the house overlooking Port Antonio.
Bob asked me what I thought. I told him I didn't think it would sell. He asked me why. I said because people want to hear The Rolling Stones. He said he was going to try to do it anyway. I wish him good luck
Bob replied "The river opens for the righteous." I said the River open for the righteous?" He replied "Someday." The rest of the song is a discussion about politics I had with my 17 year old friend Nevin Miller.
The part about the Lions comes from a movie entitled "Born Free."
My agreement with Steven is that if he used the lyrics and he made a bunch of money that he would have to give me some. Steven promised me he would. We shook hands on it.
He did give me eight tickets in 1988 to watch him and Bruce work at the Oakland Coliseum on September 23rd at an Amnesty International concert. It was Bruce's birthday.
Bruce had to work on his birthday.
There was no cake or ice cream it gets hectic backstage. There's nothing wrong with the truth.
Not all people are evil..
@lumpypixels
More power to you Little Steven!
@seenovascotia
Wow this is an awesome song and video, way to go Little Stephen.
@divisionave
This is fabulous, go Stevie!!
@Scottnycbedbuginspectorscom
Thanks Steven for telling America what it needs to hear.
@davestauffer8672
So glad I found this video! Loved this song in 84. Love it today!!
@xaviergutierrez8786
My favorite album from the 1980s. So relevant then - SOOOO relevant today!
@grannysan
So true!
@benwalker4260
Stevie is Bruce's right hand man, but on top of that, he is a truly great dude on his own.
@monya7
I think this is from the final show of the tour at the Beacon Theater in New York. Go see him and his band if that chance ever comes again. Trust me. Music, brains and heart.
@terris1958
Thank you for this beautiful song, and your beautiful heart!! I'm sorry that I only discovered this song recently Covered by Jackson Brown on his 2023 tour.