In 2019, the album was remastered for release as part of Van Zandt's career-spanning box set Rock N Roll Rebel: The Early Work.

Van Zandt wanted album opener "Freedom" to be really simple: "State the horror and oppression that surrounds us, speaking as a member of the oppressors, and do it in as few lyrics as possible," he said in a 1987 interview.

"[1] "Trail of Broken Treaties" concerns the mistreatment of Native Americans and features long-time Tina Turner pianist and collaborator Kenny Moore singing all the harmony parts on the track.

When it came time to record I remembered him and we tracked him down in L.A." Van Zandt described "Native American" as the other side of "Trail of Broken Treaties."

"Pretoria" is the South African situation from a different perspective emotionally, according to Van Zandt: "The dignity, patience, and integrity of these people survive somehow - and they manage not to be angry or bitter.

[1][6] He said in 1987, "[the book] dug into the 1954 coup in Guatemala, which the more I read about the more I realized was a good example of what we're continuing to do in Latin America — basically engaging in a conspiracy between the CIA, the U.S. State Department, multi-national corporations, and the military to overthrow a government talking about land reform, and selling it to the American public as policing a communist threat."

The song describes the exploitation of workers by big business and features Panama-born singer Rubén Blades on guest lead vocals.

"So he picked up a mike stand and drumstick," Van Zandt recalled, "and tapped out this great rhythm, which is now a central part of the song."