Shawna Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 (edited) this is an early request for another article I will be writing for Memorial Day, which is in late May. What I need are songs that are about veterans/military service, etc. in any genre of music, and why you like that particular song (what it means to you). Your help is really appreciated!! Thanks everyone! Edited April 17, 2009 by Guest changed heading to new angle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skybluesky Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Some Gave All-Billy Ray Cyrus-doesn't mean anything to me personally, but it fits the theme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Hill Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 (edited) Arlington ~ Trace Adkins (because it has that feel) Lot's of country songs (go figure) with this theme, how 'bout... If You're Reading This ~ Tim McGraw Edited March 14, 2009 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindCrime Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Rooster - Alice in Chains is about a vet in Vietnam and centers around some of his feelings and experiences, told from his perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeBB Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Khe Sanh - Cold Chisel Probably THE definitive OzRock track, by the definitive OzRock band. Not very happy, although the music is "up". ABout a Vietnam vet who finds it hard to cope with back home aftre thw war. And it's a lot more fun than: Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town - Kenny Rogers ... and I Was Only Nineteen - Redgum The song that always makes ne cry: Two Little Boys - Rolf Harris Smiley - Ronnie Burns Everywhere - Billy Bragg I don't know if there are any celebratory/upbeat songs about war or service, not since George M Cohan anyway. Lbbb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farin Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 (edited) And the Band played Waltzing Matilda ~ The Pogues there are many different versions, but this one was the one b-f introduced me to via the TTs it tells the story of a young Australian who gets to war, fights against the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) in WWI and gets injured. "Waltzing Matilda" is an actual song, something like an inofficial Australian anthem (correct me if I'm wrong) Johnnie Turk was ready, oh he primed himself well He rained us with bullets and he showered us with shell And in five minutes flat we were all blown to hell nearly blew us all back home to Australia. And the band played Waltzing Matilda as we stuck to bury our slain We buried ours and the Turks buried theirs and we started all over again Edited March 14, 2009 by Guest see posts below Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeBB Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 "Waltzing Mathilda" is an actual song, something like an inofficial Australian anthem (correct me if I'm wrong Yes indeed. You haven't quite got the spelling right, but Waltzing Matilda is a poem by our most famous poet (really our ONLY famous poet), then turned into the most popular Australian "trad" song of them all. It's about a homeless bloke who steals a sheep, is caught by the police and escapes by jumping in a creek and drowning himself. THat's why we love it. See ya, Lee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farin Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 oops, without 'h' then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farin Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Brothers in Arms ~ Dire Straits Through these fields of destruction Baptisms of fire I've witnessed your suffering as the battles raged higher And though they did hurt me so bad In the fear and alarm you did not desert me My brothers in arms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesboy Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 I remember an old patriotic song that's been used in some movies like How the West Was Won and Stalag 17 When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again When Johnny comes marching home again, Hurrah! Hurrah! We'll give him a hearty welcome then Hurrah! Hurrah! The men will cheer and the boys will shout The ladies they will all turn out And we'll all feel gay when Johnny comes marching home. The old church bell will peal with joy Hurrah! Hurrah! To welcome home our darling boy, Hurrah! Hurrah! The village lads and lassies say With roses they will strew the way, And we'll all feel gay when Johnny comes marching home. Get ready for the Jubilee, Hurrah! Hurrah! We'll give the hero three times three, Hurrah! Hurrah! The laurel wreath is ready now To place upon his loyal brow And we'll all feel gay when Johnny comes marching home. Let love and friendship on that day, Hurrah, hurrah! Their choicest pleasures then display, Hurrah, hurrah! And let each one perform some part, To fill with joy the warrior's heart, And we'll all feel gay when Johnny comes marching home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindCrime Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Ballad of the Green Berets - Ssgt Barry Sadler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Drive On - Johnny Cash Well, I got a friend named Whiskey Sam He was my boonierat buddy for a year in Nam He said I think my country got a little off track Took 'em twenty-five years to welcome me back But it's better than not coming back at all Many a good man I saw fall And even now, every time I dream I hear the men and the monkeys in the jungle scream Drive on It don't mean nothin' My children love me, but they don't understand And I got a woman who knows her man, Drive on It don't mean nothin', it don't mean nothin' Drive on Well, I remember one night, Tex and me Rappelled in on a hot L.Z. We had our 16's on rock and roll And with all of that fire, I was scared and cold I was crazy, and I was wild And I have seen the tiger smile I spit in a bamboo viper's face And I'd be dead, but by God's grace Drive on It don't mean nothin' My children love me, but they don't understand And I got a woman who knows her man, Drive on It don't mean nothin', it don't mean nothin' Drive on It was a slow walk in a sad rain And nobody tried to be John Wayne I came home, but Tex did not And I can't talk about the hit he got But I got a little limp now when I walk And I got a little tremolo when I talk But my letter read from Whiskey Sam You're a walkin' talkin' miracle from Vietnam Drive on It don't mean nothin' My children love me, but they don't understand And I got a woman who knows her man , Drive on It don't mean nothin', it don't mean nothin' Drive on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farin Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Born in the USA fits the criteria too, doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Laurie_ Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Fortunate Son ~ CCR Because, it's a good tune... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna Posted March 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 thanks for the input! Any songs in particular that have just touched your soul like no other? Mine would be "Letters From Home" by John Michael Montgomery. I get all weepy whenever I hear that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad_M Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 No particular songs that come to mind but I dug up a couple of Memorial Day sites and some war song lists that may be helpful to you. US White House Commission on Remembrance (web site) U.S. Memorial Day History and Information on U.S. War Memorials (web site) Memorial Day Music (link taken from above site's main page) Role of music in WWII (from Wikipedia) List of songs about the Vietnam War (from Wikipedia) List of songs about the Sep. 11 attacks (from Wikipedia) List of anti-war songs (from Wikipedia) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jk Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 (edited) Not many people realize this, but "This Time Around" by Hanson is written from the view of a solider who's saying that he/she will die for what he/she believes in. It's getting colder In this ditch where I lie I'm feeling older And I'm wondering why I heard they told her It was tell and live or die I didn't know her But I know why she lied I didn't know her But I know why she died Yeah You can't say, I didn't give it I won't wait, another minute On our way, this time around Whoa yeah You can't say, I didn't give it I won't wait, another minute On our way, this time around Yeah And we won't go down Yeah I heard them say that dreams Should stay in your head Well I feel ashamed of The things that I've said Put on these chains And you can live a free life Well I'd rather bleed Just to know why I died Yeah And we won't go down And we won't go down Yeah And we won't go down Yeah Well all I know is That fear has got to go This time around This time around Well I've started feeling Like I don't want to fight Give in to the giving And put out the light Cannons are blazin' Shower these moonlit skies Then I remember And I know why he died Do you know why I died? Yeah And we won't go down And we won't go down And we won't go down Yeah Wouldn't it be nice if we all picked a song to dedicate to a veteran we know or are inspired by? I guess that would be in another thread, though. I'd personally dedicate that song to my great uncle Orbie, who was an Army photographer in the Korean War. He always says that the government censored his photographs of the wounded because they were too graphic. Edited March 15, 2009 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan01 Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Mr. Lonely by Bobby Vinton and The Curb Girls. It's a re-recording of Bobby Vinton's 1964 hit Mr. Lonely - his voice mixed with the voiceover of two separate little girls reading their letters. The first says "Dear Michael..........your little sister"; the second one says "Dear Daddy........your little one......PS today I lost another tooth" This was aired during Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1990/1991). Pretty cool for those who haven't heard it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farin Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 (edited) might be a long shot, but Yellow Ledbetter might fit too The song was written during the first gulf war, when "Papa Bush" was President, as Eddie calls him. The story is about a young Grunger kid, all dressed up in his flannels with the long greasy hair. His brother goes off to fight in the war and gets killed. He gets a letter that comes in one of those yellow army envelopes and learns of his brother's death. So, all upset, he decides to go out and walk it off. On his walk he passes by a neat, middle-aged or elderly couple sitting on their front porch having some tea, and he sees that they have an American flag out. He gives a wave, because he feels like he relates: "The flag, my brother, you know..." But they don't know, of course. They don't know what's underneath the grunge and the long hair. All they see are the outward appearances, and they don't wave back. Edited March 15, 2009 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 (edited) Shawna, This is a Bluegrass song about a woman whose man is going off to war. Down Where The River Bends - Ralph Stanley & Dwight Yoakam Edited March 15, 2009 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenacious_Peaches Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Chicken Fried by the Zac Brown Band is a goofy little song about a Georgia boy and the things he loves, but then there's a nifty little breakdown in the middle: I thank God for my life And for the stars and stripes May freedom forever fly, let it ring. Salute the ones who died The ones that give their lives so we don`t have to sacrifice All the things we love Like our chicken fried... They opened up for my beloved Sugarland this past fall. During this part of the song, they brought up a local soldier on stage. Damn if I didn't get a little misty. I always say that I don't support war but I support those who defend our country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLizard Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 As do I (my dad is one of those guys), but I absolutely despise that song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skybluesky Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Shawna, one thing to keep in mind is that Memorial Day commemorates those who have died in service to their country. Veterans Day commemorates those who lived through their war experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 " Billy Don't Be A Hero " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan01 Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Here's a copy of the Bobby Vinton song Mr. Lonely (Letter to a Soldier). http://www.zshare.net/audio/57131778f67ce384/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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