Fight Songs is the fourth studio album by American alternative country band Old 97's, first released on April 27, 1999. It features the song "Murder (Or a Heart Attack)", which was ranked #176 on Blender magazine's list of "500 Greatest Songs From 1980-2005."
The group's second record on Elektra Records, Fight Songs is more slick and pop-oriented than the group's previous efforts, a trend continued on 2001's Satellite Rides. The song "Crash on the Barrelhead" is rumored to be targeted at alt-country rival, Ryan Adams, while "Murder ..." was inspired by a cat owned by singer Miller's roommate in Los Angeles.
Track listing
All songs written by Rhett Miller, Ken Bethea, Murry Hammond and Philip Peeples.
- "Jagged" – 3:27
- "Lonely Holiday" – 4:08
- "Oppenheimer" – 3:28
- "Indefinitely" – 3:41
- "What We Talk About" – 4:10
- "Crash on the Barrelhead" (vocals by Murry Hammond) – 2:39
- "Murder (Or a Heart Attack)" – 3:41
- "Alone So Far" – 4:17
- "Busted Afternoon" – 3:11
- "19" – 3:41
- "Let the Idiot Speak" – 3:43
- "Valentine" (vocals by Murry Hammond) – 3:08
Personnel
;Old 97's
- Ken Bethea – guitar
- Murry Hammond – bass, vocals
- Rhett Miller – vocals, guitar
- Philip Peeples – drums, percussion
;Additional personnel
- Jon Rauhouse – steel on "Jagged", "Lonely Holiday" and "Alone So Far"
- Jon Brion – Vox organ on "Murder (Or a Heart Attack)"
- Andrew Williams – odds and ends
