Here Come the Choppers explained

Here Come the Choppers
Type:	Album
Artist:	Loudon Wainwright III
Cover:	HereCometheChoppersalbumcover.jpg
Released:	April 19, 2005
Genre:	Folk rock
Label:	Sovereign Records
Producer:	Lee Townsend
Prev Title:	So Damn Happy(2003)
Next Title:	Strange Weirdos
Next Year:	2007

Here Come the Choppers is a 2005 album by Loudon Wainwright III. The title track is an acerbic and blackly humorous reference to the Iraq War, reset in southern California's Miracle Mile.

"The inspectors found nothing
That’s just not right
Whole Foods and Kmart
Are targets tonight"

Perhaps the most remarkable track though, is Hank and Fred, a real-life account of Wainwright driving to the grave of Hank Williams when he heard the news, on the car radio, of the death of children's TV host Fred Rogers.

"One New Years' Day Hank slipped away
Slumped over in the back
Oh, I hope he had his cardigan on
In that Cadillac"

The album is also notable for the seemingly unlikely recruitment of Bill Frisell on lead guitar.

The cover illustration is by Steve Vance.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Loudon Wainwright III

1. "My Biggest Fan" – 6:02
2. "No Sure Way" – 5:29
3. "Had to Be Her" – 5:02
4. "Hank and Fred" – 4:55
5. "Half Fist" – 4:13
6. "To Be on TV" – 4:03
7. "God's Country" – 3:14
8. "Make Your Mother Mad" – 4:06
9. "When You Leave" – 5:22
10. "Nanny" – 3:12
11. "Here Come the Choppers" – 6:42
12. "Things" – 4:06

Personnel

• Loudon Wainwright III - acoustic guitar, vocals
• Jim Keltner - drums, percussion
• Bill Frisell - electric guitar
• Greg Leisz - mandolin, pedal steel, electric & lap steel guitar
• David Piltch - electric & acoustic bass
• Coco Love Alcorn - vocals
• Chris Gestrin - Wurlitzer
• Shawn Pierce - Engineer, Audio Engineer, Mixing

Release history

• CD: Sovereign Records