Eric Church Drops a Heart-Pounding Live Version of “Bleed On Paper” Ahead of His Upcoming Album ‘Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive’.LC
“With some blue ink, a blank page and an old six-string…”
Eric Church is gearing up to not only hit the big screen with his first IMAX concert next February, but also release a live album to go with it.
Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive was recorded live over two nights during shows at The Pinnacle in Nashville earlier this year. The album not only features the entire Evangeline vs. the Machine album from front to back, but also hits from some of his previous albums like “Sinners Like Me,” “Desperate Man,” “Hell Of A View,” and of course, “Springsteen.”
Ahead of the album’s released, Church has already released live versions of “Knives of New Orleans” and “Desperate Man.” But now we’re getting our first taste of the live version of songs from Evangeline vs. the Machine.
“Bleed On Paper” is one of the standouts from the album, a somewhat critical take at the juxtaposition between the business of music versus the blood, sweat and tears that go into creating it:
“Yeah, I met a man at the crossroads
Suit and tie with a smile like gold
He tried making me a deal like I had me a ‘For Sale’ sign hanging on my soul
Said all I had to do was change my tune
I could cash that check
But I don’t like the feel of a rattlesnake boot heel on my neck
So, I keep on singing what I know between a minor and a major
Keep pulling at the bittersweet and if it ain’t the latest flavor
Little bit of devil, little bit of savior
Whole lotta life cutting like a razor
With some blue ink, a blank page and an ol’ six-string
I bleed on paper”
The song was written by Casey Beathard, Tucker Beathard and Monty Cristwell, one of only two on the album not written by Church himself. But it seems like the perfect fit for his catalog, in the vein of songs like “Mistress Named Music,” that speak to Church’s passion for songwriting and music.
It’s become one of my favorite songs on the album (although at this point I think I can say that every song from the album has been my favorite at one point) because of the raw honesty about the struggles of the music business, as well as the passion of songwriters and artists who give it their all simply for the love of the game, never knowing whether it’s going to pay off or not.
And I can say, I’ve seen Church perform it live a few times now, and it absolutely rips when he’s got the full band, orchestra and choir behind him.
