Tom Russell : U.S. Steel

I first heard this song, "U.S. Steel", on Tom Russell's 1988 album, "Road To Bayamon", the second track on the record right after 'Home Before Dark'. In fact, that was the first time I heard Tom Russell, so it's the second song of his that I ever heard. All these years later, it still holds up, capturing Tom's ability to get inside experiences not his own. I'm thinking here of Mickey Newbury's line, "Don't write what you don't know," which is genuine advice, but some of us know how to enter others' experiences through the gathering of precise details, then letting our imaginations do the rest. That's a gift, and every bit as vital, perhaps even more so because it allows us to tell stories that would otherwise go untold. Tom Russell does this as well as any songwriter alive today and, in "U.S. Steel", he not only honors the lives and memories of those who worked for the steel giant but also allows the rest of us to walk the streets of Homestead, Pennsylvania, for four-plus minutes. I hope you like the song and the accompanying video. Visit Tom Russell's website at http://www.tomrussell.com to learn more and, if you haven't already, to pick up some of Tom's work. DL

Note: If anyone objects to this video presentation due to copyright issues, please make contact and it will be removed.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Tom
• Russell
• US
• Steel
• Pennsylvania
• Singer
• Songwriter
• Folk
• Country
• Doug
• Lang
• paganmaestro

[peatymoss1]

This was the 1st song of Tom's that I heard. Played on the radio & totally blew me away. Bought the album within a day or so & have every one of his before & since.

There ain't a bad one among the lot.

[sean64ryan]

Seen Tom last night in Mount Olive .what a great show. Thank you Ed Becker and family

[Archer2129]

tom russel is one ove my heros he needs to right a song about a saw mill with danny jacaka hauling logs in and lonnie archer hauling shavings and wood chips out the real story that would be a great song

[tapper1477]

One of the best songs ever.

[drwoe]

Glad somebody finally did a video of this ..What an incredible song ... Tom is the man !!!!!

[MrRazorblade999]

Sauerkraut and kielbasa...I guess there are a big group of immigrants from Eastern Europe in Pennsylvania. Reminds me of the movie Deer Hunter.

[LukeWapelhorst]

This song really grows on ya.

[cobra012297]

@heartlessvietboy Iron Ore is what comes out of the ground and is the main ingredient in steel. After meltiing in a balst furnace it is further refined to make steel.

[tapper1477]

Moving images and a classic song. Thanks!

[heartlessvietboy]

What rocks and dirt make steel? If it is just rocks, why are we "building" up other countries (Media and Professional Sources ) as having the most steel. Rocks are everywhere on Earth. Is that the reason for why we see so many metals around us today? Or does it take a special type of rock to make special metals.