Story Behind The Song

Sitting in acafe in Portland reading the New York Times, I came across a picture of a marine at a memorial for 3 of his friends. The picture tore at my heart, He looked like the toughest guy you could imagine, and he was in tears. I found myself in tears. Then as I looked around the cafe I was in I wondered if the war had crossed anyones mind that day?

Song Description

A story of a soldier in Iraq

Lyrics

American Soldier
Words and music by Janet Bates 2004

You stood out in a way
It really was your day,
You were going away
The parade, passed on by my door,
I went out to watch,
Till I could watch no more
The crowd was blinded by the light
What they saw, they saw in black and white
American soldier going off to war

Then the stories would return
Of battles you had won,
Out there in the sun, but
So much was being left unsaid,
Only whispered in the dark,
Or played on some guitar
The crowd was blinded by the light
What they saw, they saw in black and white
American soldier in a war.

I saw your picture yesterday
In the corner of the page
The papers say
You lost three more of your friends,
Then they list the dead,
Then the story ends.
The crowd has really all gone home
Gone back to lives of their own
American soldier he?s on his own.
What I see looking at your eyes
Is a pain that can no longer be disguised
An American soldier all alone

What the picture shows in black and white
Is a soldier crying in the night
American soldier?come on home