Patriotism in Music

Lots of great songs out there and some new to me ones I've been listening to lately that keep swirling around in my mind and soul as one son finishes his six year enlistment with the noble branch of the Army and my baby begins (possibly) his life-time commitment to the sleek long heritage of the United States Navy.

Here are the tunes. You can hear and watch any of them by copy/pasting the title and artist in the Youtube search and then you can listen to them and watch them and be as moved as was I.

Really though. Ya gotta watch the youtube version of Trace Adkins and the West Point Cadet Glee Club, USMA, ACM. It WILL send chills up your spine and the emotion will wring tears from your ducts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0mm4u2VzDs&feature=player_embedded


Trace Adkins, 'Til The Last Shot's Fired

I was there in the winter of '64
When we camped in the ice
At Nashville's door
Three hundred miles our trail had led
We barely had time to bury our dead
When the Yankees charged and the colors fell
Overton Hill was a living Hell
When we called retreat it was almost dark
I died with a grapeshot in my heart

Chorus:
Say a prayer for peace
For every fallen son
Set my spirit free
Let me lay down my gun
Sweet Mother Mary I'm so tired
But I can't come home 'til
The last shot's fired

In June of 1944
I waited in the blood of Omaha's shores
Twenty-one and scared to death
My heart poundin' in my chest
I almost made the first seawall
When my friends turned and saw me fall
I still smell the smoke, I can taste the mud
As I lay there dying from a loss of blood

I'm in the fields of Vietnam,
The mountains of Afghanistan
And I'm still hopin', waitin', prayin'
I did not die in vain

[West Point Choir:]
Say a prayer for peace, for peace
For our daughters and our sons
Set our spirits free, set us free
Let us lay down our guns
[Trace:]
Sweet Mother Mary we're so tired
But we can't come home
[West Point Choir:]
No we can't come home
'Til the last shot's fired

Trace Adkins – Arlington

I never thought that this is where I'd settle down,
I thought I'd die an old man back in my hometown,
They gave me this plot of land, me and some other men,
for a job well done.

There's a big white house sits on a hill just up the road,
The man inside he cried the day they brought me home,
They folded up a flag, and told my mom and dad, 'We're proud of your son'.

And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property,
I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company,
I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I've done,
I can rest in peace, I'm one of the chosen ones,
I made it to Arlington.

I remember daddy brought me here when I was eight,
We searched all day to find out where my granddad lay,
And when we finally found that cross,
He said, 'Son this is what it cost, to keep us free'.
Now here I am a thousand stones away from him,
He recognized me on the first day I came in,
And it gave me a chill, when he clicked his heels, and saluted me.

And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property,
I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company,
And I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I've done,
I can rest in peace, I'm one of the chosen ones,
I made it to Arlington.

And every time I hear, twenty-one guns,
I know they brought another hero home, to us.

We're thankful for those thankful for the things we've done,
We can rest in peace, 'cause we were the chosen ones,
We made it to Arlington, yea, dust to dust
Don't cry for us, we made it to Arlington.

Dustin Evans, If I Die Before You Wake

Back home now I know you're probably sleepin'
Over here it's the middle of the day
I finally found the time to write a letter
Sittin' here a half a world away

I heard about all them folks protestin'
As if I really want this war
But that don't stop me from believin'
There's just some things worth fightin' for

Chorus:
And if I die before you wake, I pray the world will take
A good look at what God's given us
That we could only understand, everything is in His hands
All we need is a little faith and trust
I want you to know it ain't too high a price to pay
If I die before you wake

Tell everybody that I miss them
And I can't wait to get back home
Until then I'll serve my country
And be proud to wear this uniform


Chorus:
If I die before you wake, I pray the world will take
A good look at what God's given us
That we could only understand, everything is in His hands
All we need is a little faith and trust
I want you to know it ain't too high a price to pay
If I die before you wake

No it ain't too high a price to pay
If I die before you wake

Taylor Hicks - Do I Make You Proud

I've never been
The one to raise my hand
That was not me
And now that's who I am
Because of you, I am standing tall

My heart is full
Of endless gratitude
You were the one
The one to guide me through
Now I can see
And I believe it's only just beginning

Chorus:
This is what we dreamed about
But the only question with me now
Is do I make you proud?
Stronger than I've ever been now
Never be afraid of standing out
Do I make you proud?

I guess I've learned
To question is to grow
That you still have faith
Is all I need to know
I've learned to love
Myself despite of me
And I've learned to walk
The road that I believe

Chorus

Everybody needs to rise up
Everybody needs to be loved, to be loved

This is what we dream about
But the only question with me now
Is do I make you, do I make you proud?

This is what we dreamed about
But the only question with me now
Is do I make you proud?

Stronger than I've ever been now
Never be afraid of standing out
Do I make you proud?

Commentary-Yes son's I am very PROUD of you.

Toby Keith, American Soldier

I’m just tryin’ to be a father, raise a daughter and a son
Be a lover to their mother, everythin’ to everyone
Up and at ‘em bright and early, I’m all business in my suit
Yeah I’m dressed up for success, from my head down to my boots
I don’t do it for money, there’s bills I that I can’t pay
I don’t do it for the glory, I just do it anyway
Providing for our future’s, my responsibility
Yeah I’m real good under pressure, being all that I can be
And I can’t call in sick on Mondays when the weekend’s been too strong
I just work straight through the holidays, and sometimes all night long
You can bet that I stand ready, when the wolf growls at the door
Hey I’m solid, hey I’m steady, hey I’m true down to the core.

And I will always do my duty no matter what the price
I’ve counted up the cost, I know the sacrifice
Oh and I don’t want to die for you, but if dyin’s asked of me
I’ll bear that cross with honor, cause freedom don’t come free.

I’m an American Soldier an American
Beside my brothers and my sisters, I will proudly take a stand
When liberty’s in jeopardy, I will always do what’s right

I’m out here on the front lines, sleep in peace tonight
American Soldier, I’m and American, Soldier.

An American Soldier an American
Beside my brothers and my sisters, I will proudly take a stand
When liberty’s in jeopardy, I will always do what’s right
I’m out here on the front lines, sleep in peace tonight
American Soldier, I’m and American, an American, an American, Soldier.

Jo Dee Messina- Heaven Was Needing a Hero

I came by today to see you
Though I had to let you know
If I knew the last time that I held you was the last time,
I'd have held you and never let go
Oh it's kept me awake night wonderin'
Lie in the dark, just asking "why?"
I've always been told you won't be called home until it's your time

I guess Heaven was needing a hero
Somebody just like you
Brave enough to stand up for what you believe and follow it though
When I try to make it make sense in my mind
The only conclusion I come to
Is that Heaven was needing a hero like you

I remember the last time I saw you
Oh you held your head up proud
I laughed inside when I saw how you were, standing out in the crowd
You're such a part of who I am
Now that part will just be void
No matter how much I need you now
Heaven needed you more

'Cause Heaven was needing a hero
Somebody just like you
Brave enough to stand up for what you believe and follow it though
When I try to make it make sense in my mind
The only conclusion I come to
Is that Heaven was needing a hero like you

Yes, Heaven was needing a hero...that's you.