Every Man A King

Album: Good Old Boys (1974)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Huey P. Long (1893-1935) was the charismatic populist Governor of the State of Louisiana. A champion of the rural poor and avowed enemy of finance capitalism, in particular the Federal Reserve System, he instituted a program called "Share Our Wealth." "Every Man A King" was his campaign song, which Long co-wrote with Professor Castro Carazo, head of the Louisiana State Band. It was also the title of his autobiography.

    Long had his critics, he was regarded by some as a demagogue, and has been smeared as both a Communist and a Fascist, but there is no doubting his commitment to the welfare of the people of Louisiana. The legacy of his four-year term ran to building or rebuilding most of the state's infrastructure, including a staggering 111 bridges, and a new charity hospital in New Orleans. Like so many political giants, Long was assassinated by a small-minded individual who could never have aspired to be half the man he was.
  • Although he was born in Los Angeles, Randy Newman grew up in Louisiana, a move that is described in his autobiographical song "Dixie Flyer," and is obviously an admirer of Long. Newman created his own arrangement of the song and brought it to a contemporary audience. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Tomlin

Chris TomlinSongwriter Interviews

The king of Christian worship music explains talks about writing songs for troubled times.

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About Transgenderism

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About TransgenderismSong Writing

A history of songs dealing with transgender issues, featuring Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Morrissey and Green Day.

Phone Booth Songs

Phone Booth SongsSong Writing

Phone booths are nearly extinct, but they provided storylines for some of the most profound songs of the pre-cell phone era.

Ramones

RamonesFact or Fiction

A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Bryan Adams

Bryan AdamsSongwriter Interviews

What's the deal with "Summer of '69"? Bryan explains what the song is really about, and shares more of his songwriting insights.