Joni Mitchell Takes Up Topicality by Stephen Holden New York Times October 16, 1985
"One song, "Tax Free," denounces America's fundamentalist right. Toward the end of the song, Rod Steiger, playing a flamboyant Moral Majority-styled preacher giving a mock TV sermon, advocates the invasion of Cuba. Miss Mitchell's lyric asks, "How can he speak for the Prince of Peace when he's hawk-right militant?"" Just to clarify - this is one quote I found to justify my claims about the origins of 'Tax Free's lyrics. I didn't really want to initiate a debate on the rights and wrongs of the Reagan administration, as I don't know enough about it. From my understanding, however, Reagan was not exactly sympathetic to Communist Cuba. Rod Steiger 'preaches' at the end of the song "Our nation has whimpered and cried" Save me "And petted the Castros" Tax free "The Khomeinis' and the Kaddafis'" Save me "For so long" Tax free "That we don't know how to act like a man" Save me "I think that we should turn the United States Marines loose on that little island south of Florida and stop that problem!" The last sentence explains it clearly. Although I am aware that churches receive tax breaks, I think Joni was inferring that certain preachers were being offered further tax related incentives to preach sermons that 'corresponded' to certain governmental policies of the time. Cheers, Owen
