“Drill Baby Drill” - a song about perceived value
Recorded in Springfield, MO
Story Pairing
Who wants to talk about numbers? Wouldn’t that be fun?
So right now we are involved in a war of choice with Iran. The reasons are most likely many and full disclosure, I don’t study wars or politics… so if you were expecting that from me I’m either flattered at your confidence or very worried for you. My basic understanding of the war is:
prevent nuclear escalation
protect allies (good or bad, whatever)
defend global shipping. ( we need that sweet sweet oil baby!)
So personally I can’t believe that we still have to solve issues with such destruction and violence. Conflict is complex on one hand and arguably simple on the other. It happens because someone needs something, isn’t getting it, that triggers a response. On a global scale that complexity is certainly well beyond a simple little songwriter, but when I see the numbers and ponder on the “what coulds”, I have to imagine the money being spend could do so much more for people in our country and around the world, but it would mean setting aside pride and conquest and power… a thing I don’t see any world leaders or people in power rushing to do. So anyway, back to the numbers, because those are just facts. No opinions. You can hate my words and my songs for making you uncomfortable. That’s just art, and you can turn a blind eye to art with very little weight on your consiounce (that’s what is so great about art, it’s optionally consumed and optionally inspiring). Numbers however, there is a sharp reality to them, so let’s dig in shall we? How fun.
$1 - 1.5 Billion Dollars/day.
That’s how much we are spending right now to be involved in this. (We’ve already spent over 25 billion dollars).
Here are some fun things that could be funded with the same dollars, just taking a single day.
Food Assistance
effects ~40 million US citizens
costs about 1 billion a day
> so we could feed over 40 million people a day instead of destroying
Medicaid
effects ~80+ million US citizens
costs about 1.5 billion a day
> so we could heal over 80 million people a day instead of destroying
Affordable Housing
effects ~ 1+ million US citizens
costs around $200-300k to build a housing unit
> so we could build 4,000-6000 houses a day instead of destroying
College Aid
average Pell grant is $4-7,000 per student
> so we could help educate 170,000-300,000 students per year instead of destroying (for one day)
Childcare
average annual subsidy is around 10k
> so over 120,000 children could be helped per year instead of destroying
The list keeps going on an on.
4 days could fund the NPS for the year
12 days could fund the recent US Humanitarian aid cuts
1 second could fund my next 2-3 full length albums (selfish numbers exist too)
4 seconds would be the average US salary
I’m having more fun than I should with the ultimately dark figures. When I take a step back and look at all the positive change these dollars could do it’s hard to support their use in a battlefield. Again I’m not educated on the topic enough to know all the arguments that could be made for participating in a war, but my little baby brain still wants to say “war bad, feed people good”.
If everyone had most of these above needs met, how much global turmoil would really still exist?
If we were all born as oil we wouldn’t have to worry about any of this though. We would finally be valued, and just about anything would be done to make sure we were taken care of.
Song Structure
Capo 5
Intro: G# - G
Verse: C - F - C - G
Chorus: Am - F - C - G - G7
Voice Memos
Notebook Page
March 2026
Lyrics
If you’d only been born as oil
Only been born as oil
US daddy would have held you more
If you’d only been born as oil
Only been born as oil
He wouldn’t be rushing off for another choice war
If you’d only been born as oil
Only been born as oil
Mama wouldnt have to sell her goods
If you’d only been born as oil
Only been born as oil
She’d keep that table full like she wished she could
A big ole barrel of crude, precious crude
Ain't nothing better to get those rich boys in the mood
A big ole barrel of gold, black gold
Theyda stuck around, if that's the way that you came home
If you’d only been born as oil
Only been born as oil
You’d surly have some credit with the local banker
If you’d only been born as oil
Only been born as oil
You could trade that ole jalopy for a brand new tanker
If you’d only been born as oil
Only been born as oil
The whole wide world would want to have you near
If you’d only been born as oil
Only been born as oil
You wouldnt be with me drinking cheap beer
A big ole barrel of crude, precious crude
Ain't nothing better to get those rich boys in the mood
A big ole barrel of gold, black gold
Theyda stuck around, if that's the way that you came home
If you’d only been born as oil
Only been born as oil
Life would be as easy as a breeze
If you’d only been born as oil
Only been born as oil
No more bombing children overseas
If you’d only been born as oil