“That’s Damn Rock & Roll” is a track by Eric Church released on February 11, 2014, as part of his album The Outsiders. The song was co-written by Church alongside Casey Beathard and Michael P. Heeney, and produced by Jay Joyce.
Eric Church and Lzzy Hale of Halestorm delivered a high-energy performance of “That’s Damn Rock & Roll” at the 2014 CMT Music Awards in June 2014, a moment Billboard praised as “one of the highlights of the evening.” The track, co-written by Church, Casey Beathard, and Michael P. Heeney, is from Church’s 2014 album The Outsiders and explicitly rejects stereotypes of drugs, sex, and alcohol to redefine the spirit of rock music.
Church intentionally chose this album cut over a single to showcase a unique, one-time collaboration that would “live in that space forever,” resulting in a massive standing ovation that highlighted the blend of country and hard rock. Hale’s powerful vocals and rock influences added grit to the performance, creating a genre-defying moment that resonated with both country and rock fans.
It ain’t a needle in a vein
It ain’t backstage sex
It ain’t lines of cocaine on a private jet
It ain’t havin’ a posse full of hangers on following you around
It ain’t long hair, tattoos, playin’ too loud
(No)
It ain’t a middle finger on a t-shirt
The establishment’s tryin’ to sell
It’s a guy with the balls
Who told the establishment to go to hell
It ain’t about the money you make, when a record gets sold
It’s about doin’ it for nothin’, cause it lives in your soul
That’s damn rock and roll
That’s damn rock and roll
It’s a rock through a window
It’s a riot in the street
It’s a rebel revolution
It’s fightin’ for peace
Burn baby burn
It’s a brick in the wall
It’s the first one to stand
And the last one to fall
It’s a hip shaking devil on the stage in Tupelo
It’s doing what ya want instead of doin’ what your told
It’s a preacher burning records, tellin’ folks they oughta pray
Cause the shepherd bought a Gibson, and led the flock astray
That’s damn rock and roll
Give all ya got ‘till there ain’t nothin’ left
That’s damn rock and roll
The Clash crashed the party
And the party got loud
And the party turned into an angry crowd
Drowning demons feel no pain
Found Nirvana wasted shame
Gone too soon just like a song
Hendrix, Joplin. What went wrong?
Need some answers right or wrong
Need something to blame it on
(Blame it on)…
That’s damn rock and roll
(Give all ya got till there ain’t nothing left)
That’s damn rock and roll
(oh)…
Another day in another town
Loadin’ the stage, and the lights, and the sound
Here they come boys
They’ve opened doors
Count us off now Craig
(1, 2, 3, 4)
That’s damn rock and roll
Give all ya got till there ain’t nothin left
That’s damn rock and roll
Every ounce of your blood and your sweat
That’s damn rock
That’s damn rock and roll
(Rock and roll)…
