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SW​:​S Retreat - October 26​-​28, 2012

by SongwritingWith:Soldiers

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    Includes high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Paying supporters also get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app.

    All purchases are tax-deductible donations to SongwritingWith:Soldiers. Our mission is to hold retreats that pair professional songwriters with military veterans to write songs about their experiences of combat and returning home.
    Participating military service members include Tamera Dillard, Josh Hartman, Scott McRae, Kelli Miller, Eustacio Obregon, Kim Obregon, Fatuma Salim-Shirazy, Jaime Santiago, and Nikki Shaw.

    These songs are their stories and are recorded on site at retreats. They capture a song just hours after being written, like the song taking its first breath.
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1.
THE SOLDIER GAME Josh Hartman / Eustacio Juan Obregon / Scott McRae / Darden Smith, Radney Foster I been Bosnia to Baghdad To me they’re both the same Spent half my life In the soldier game I’ve Tusla to New Orleans I’ve walked so many streets I’ve seen the hurt and hunger In every face I meet In the Soldier Game In the Soldier Game I didn’t do it for the money Didn’t do it for the fame I did it for the flag I wear Defends my families name I did it for my soldiers I did for my friends I did once before And I’ll do it all again The Soldier Game I’m in the Soldier Game I’m coming home I’ll never be the same From the Soldier Game I been Gozny to Jalabad Seen a lot of things Seen my friends die Felt the pain it brings The IED it hit us We were on patrol The dust the black the hell broke loose It shook me to my soul In the Soldier Game In the Soldier Game The tears fell down The squad stood still I pulled the dog tag off his chain It’s the Soldier Game The Soldier Game We lose so many It’s a goddamn shame It’s the Soldier Game The Soldier Game I’m coming home again I’ll never be the same From the Soldier Game The Soldier Game We march across that field Coming home again From the Soldier Game The Soldier Game The Soldier Game
2.
Calling Home 03:00
CALLING HOME Eustacio and Kim Obregon / Jay Clementi / Radney Foster Hey, Honey, it’s me I can’t say where I am But I’m alive and I’m OK And before we’re disconnected I really need to say I looked at our stars tonight Said I love you and I said goodnight Tomorrow I’m gonna say it all again Miss you baby, kiss the kids I don’t know where and I don’t know when But I’m holding tight to the sound of your voice till then While I’m gone I’m hanging on To calling home Do you know how much I love the sound of your voice It’s not long now, I’m counting days I can’t wait till I hold you in these arms And by the way I looked at our stars tonight Said I love you and I said goodnight Tomorrow I’m gonna say it all again Miss you baby, kiss the kids I don’t know where and I don’t know when But I’m holding tight to the sound of your voice till then While I’m gone I’m hanging on To calling home Keep talking Baby till our time is through Don’t dare say goodbye, I’ll call again soon I don’t know where and I don’t know when I’m gonna see you again But I’m holding tight to the sound of your voice till then While I’m gone I’m hanging on To calling home
3.
Me Perdi 03:01
ME PERDI Jaime Santiago / Radney Foster I lost time with my family Lost sleep when I laid down I lost way too many friends for sure Mostly I lost count Perdi la cuenta de los dias Tres anos de mi vida Perdi los primeros cumpleanos Cumpleanos de mi hija Cosas que me mereci Me perdi, Perdi Still losing time with my family Still losing too much sleep Losing tears for no damn good reason Can’t lose the memories I keep Perdi la cuenta de los dias Tres anos de mi vida Perdi mis hermanos, mis amigos Tiempo con mi querida Cosas que me mereci Perdi, Perdi, Me Perdi Perdi la cuenta de los dias Tres anos de mi vida Perdi los primeros cumpleanos Cumpleanos de mi hija Cosas que me mereci Me Perdi, Perdi
4.
HEAVY WEAPONS Scott McRae / Jay Clementi I don't call home much anymore I got to keep my game face on That's the thing about this war You do selfish things to stay strong Cause every time I call her she puts a chink in my armor Gotta keep my men alive they can't see weakness in my eyes Cause there's always Heavy weapons Metal flying trying to send us to heaven Tracers whistling in the dark Hell bent on tearing my men apart Gotta keep my head clear through it all Gotta keep my eye on the ball Everything that I know is threatened By these heavy weapons The last time I was home She said some things to me That made feel so damn alone Brought me crying to my knees To this family you’re a ghost she said to me and it was the most Devastating thing I’ve heard she don't realize that her words Are just like Heavy weapons Always in flying my direction Like a tracers whistling in the dark Hell bent on tearing me apart It just don't make no sense at all It's like she wants to see me fall It may not be her intention But her words are heavy weapons I’ve been blown up I’ve been hurt I’ve been bleeding face down in the dirt Nothing crushed me more than when she walked out the door Her aim was sharp She took my heart hit me hard Just like Heavy weapons Not caring what it's wrecking Like a tracers whistling in the dark It tore me all apart It just don't make no sense it all It's like she wanted to see me fall It may not have been her intention But when it comes to me She's a heavy weapon
5.
The Dream 03:09
THE DREAM Scott McRae / Darden Smith The wife, the kids The white picket fence From where I come from That’s what made sense I did my time overseas But I’m thinking maybe It was what I saw when I came home That made me so crazy Losing the dream Losing the dream They didn’t tell me About losing the dream I went to war one man Came home another Loved the bottle Just like a brother Saw the white picket fence Just disappear I remember when my wife and my kids Were still living here I lost that dream I lost that dream The soldier, the father, the husband American Dream So I got dark I hit bottom Saw I had to change my ways Talk about nightmares brother I’ve got ‘em But now I see brighter days And I’m slowly rebuilding that old picket fence The man I am now is finally starting to make sense Of a new dream Got a new dream Now I believe In a brand new dream Got a new dream Got a new dream I know what it means to believe In The Dream
6.
CAN'T BREAK ME NOW Tamera Dillard / Kelli Miller / Darden Smith I have been in battle I have struggled most all my life I’ve been broken I’ve been made whole In my darkness I saw the light You can’t break me now You can’t shake me now You can take me now Cause I am not afraid It’s like I’ve been born again And after where I’ve been Nothing, nothing can break me now I’ve seen people hurt each other We’ve all got hurt down inside But I believe there must be some reason And from this darkness we all can rise You can’t break me now You can’t shake me now You can take me now Cause I am not afraid It’s like I’ve been born again And after where I’ve been Nothing, nothing can break me now I don’t know where it comes from I’ve always been this way Where others might fall I stand tall every day You can’t break me now You can’t shake me now You can take me now Cause I am not afraid It’s like I’ve been born again I am stronger now than I’ve ever been Nothing can break me now
7.
Blackout 02:56
BLACKOUT Nikki Shaw / Jay Clementi It all started far from home At night when I was all alone Trying to dose off with my headphones on Praying for a couple winks But I just can't fall asleep Those images are just too strong God I wish I could It would feel so dam good To just Black Out Black Out A cold 24 pack to knock me out Stop this dark and desperate dreaming Peaceful sleep is all I'm finding I just want to rack out but it kills me to say the only way Is to Black Out Black Out Now it's back to normal life I can't forget the sacrifice I'm at home but I'm still there Everyday I play the game But I know I'm not the same My life is hanging on a prayer I stop buy the six around five At nine I'm feeling fine and by ten its time Black Out Black out A cold 24 pack to knock me out Stop this dark and desperate dreaming Peaceful sleep is all I'm finding I just want to rack out but it kills me to say the only way Is to Black Out Black Out The only way I know To let the darkness go And rest my weary soul Is to… Black Out Black Out With a cold 24 pack to knock me out Stop this dark and desperate dreaming Peaceful sleep is all I'm finding I just want to rack out but it kills me to say the only way Is to Black Out Black Out I'm gonna Black Out Black Out I'm so Tired I'm gonna Black Out
8.
HALF HORSE TOWN Nikki Shaw / Radney Foster / Darden Smith I joined the army from a Half Horse Town Just cause I’m a girl don’t mean you’ll keep me down I made a promise now I’m duty bound Cause I’m that girl from a half horse town Oh freedom Don’t you know it ain’t free If somebody’s gonna kick ass and take names It might as well be me No you can push around This girl from a Half Horse Town I signed my name and now my honor’s at stake I believe in promises that you don’t break When hell’s breaking loose and the walls are coming down Stand behind the girl from the Half Horse Town You can count on a girl from a Half Horse Town My Mama’s worried But my Daddy’s he’s so proud I might be a girl, but boy I’m standing out in the crowd My folks raised me not to back down Always be that girl from the Half Horse Town Oh freedom Don’t you know it ain’t free If somebody’s gonna kick ass and take names It might as well be me No, you can’t push around You can’t ever keep down This girl from a Half Horse Town
9.
I Had Wheels 02:25
I HAD WHEELS Josh Hartman / Darden Smith / Jay Clementi I was a skinny Mohawk punk Flying on jack and coke and junk Heaven was just an empty pool Loved the danger loved the girls Knew that I could wrestle down the world Everytime I headed down to Santa Cruz I had wheels Click clacking down the sidewalk I had wheels If only that board could talk I shaved my Mohawk nice and clean On the day I turned 19 Put on a different uniform Then my boots were on the ground A dirty street in a foreign town I was wishing through a Desert Storm I had wheels Click clacking on the sidewalk I had wheels My Chuck Taylor’s making them talk How cool would that be Nobody shooting at me Skating under those cross sabers Wind at my back My boys at my side we could ride forever I had wheels Click clacking on the sidewalk I had Wheels My Chuck Taylor’s making them talk I had wheels If only that board could talk I had wheels
10.
Why Not Me 03:09
WHY NOT ME Fatuma Salim-Shirazy / Darden Smith I am small but I’m strong I can work all day and all night long My shoulders carry so much I have served so many others And forgot to serve myself Like my father and his father Right down the line I try to be quote unquote the best I could be And if it’s alright for you Why not me If I only had a chance I could show the world what I have to give Don’t judge me by the way I talk or the clothes I wear Muslim Hindu Christian Jew Inside my own heart You and I we’re all the same

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Songwriters include Jay Clementi, Radney Foster and Darden Smith.

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released June 22, 2013

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SongwritingWith:Soldiers Nashville, Tennessee

SongwritingWith:Soldiers is a non-profit 501c (3) organization.

Our Mission: We transform lives by using collaborative songwriting to expand creativity, connections, and strengths.

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