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SW​:​S Tennessee Online Reunion

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.

    Our retreats pair professional songwriters with veterans, military families and couples, and active-duty service members to write songs about their military experiences and transition home. These field recordings were recorded on-site at a SongwritingWith:Soldiers retreat and capture a song being performed just hours after it's been written, like a song capturing its first breath.

    Participant Co-Writers: 
    Hope Ross / Mark Crisci / Bill Brigman / Buck Rogers

    Singer-Songwriters:
    Gary Burr / Jay Clementi / Georgia Middleman / Mary Gauthier

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1.
My Old Man 03:09
MY OLD MAN Buck Rogers / Gary Burr Dad can you see me from way up there I want you to know I’ll be all right We’re all singing “Broken Halos” down here All grown up so we won’t fight Duct tape and baling wire A little chewing gum, that’ll do the trick The older you got the less you could do Till you finally found something that you couldn’t fix All that’s left for me right now Is to live a life that will make you proud Cause I’d rather ship off to Afghanistan Fight ‘em hand to hand Than let down my old man This 5’5” giant man Built a house on a hill with his two hands Five young kids in an old RV Headed North to Alaska eventually A covered porch, a Zane Grey book We broke a rule…we got “the look” Serving was an easy choice We followed your lead and heard your voice The older I get the smarter you got You set the bar high so thanks a lot Cause I’d rather ship off to Afghanistan Fight ‘em hand to hand Than let down my old man “Don’t lock me up in a jar of clay” Isn’t that what you used to say? When you’re up in Heaven, breathing free You tell God that all you need…is Duct tape and baling wire A little chewing gum, that’ll do the trick The older you got the less you could do Till you finally found something that you couldn’t fix All that’s left for me right now Is to live a life that will make you proud Cause I’d rather ship off to Afghanistan Fight ‘em hand to hand Than let down my old man
2.
WHAT I WAS FIGHTING FOR Hope Ross / Mary Gauthier I could become my mother, or I could try be more I signed up at seventeen, a private, training for a war M-16’s, grenades, AR’s, tear gas and more They taught us how to kill, but never told us what we were fighting for Were we fighting for truth were we fighting for a lie? Were we fighting for freedom were we fighting for our lives? Were we fighting to be fighting just because we were at war? I guess we’ll never know what we were fighting for My buddy Christopher’s boy was only five years old when he deployed That same son died in action this year, in the same damn war Day after day year after year, on and on The fighting never stops but they don’t know what they’re fighting for Are they fighting for truth are they fighting for a lie Are they fighting for freedom, are they fighting for their lives Are they fighting to be fighting because we were at war? I guess we’ll never know what they’re fighting for Was I fighting for truth was I fighting for a lie? Was I fighting for freedom was I fighting for my life? Was I fighting to be fighting, because we were at war? I guess I’ll never know what I was fighting for Was I fighting to be fighting, because we were at war? I guess I’ll never know what I was fighting for
3.
KNOB NOSTER, MISSOURI Bill Brigman / Georgia Middleman I couldn’t wait to find out about my dream sheet So excited to be going overseas I mean I earned it; I was DG, the proud son of New Orleans What an adventure it would be The detailer said I’m gonna love where I was going “‘Cause there’s a girl behind every tree So better bloom where you’re planted; no, your wish wasn’t granted But this is so much better than Italy You’re needed in Knob Noster, Missouri” Chorus: And in my 66 mustang Turning south from I -70 That’s when I started to worry Belching steam in the air Pig farms everywhere In Knob Noster, Missouri Now I can do a hurricane, no problem But I had never seen an ice storm before couldn’t even get into my car, just another Butter Bar who showed up not ready for his tour But it didn’t take too long to make some good friends who were far away from home just like me Roger, Jim and Tony… L.T.s who were just as lonely Guys like them made it home for me In Knob Noster, Missouri CHORUS: But in my 66 mustang Turning south from I -70 That’s when I started to worry Belching steam in the air Pig farms everywhere In Knob Noster, Missouri Bridge: Then I got deployed to Desert Storm And those missileers pulled alert under ground Keeping us safe until I got home And now home is the friends that I’ve found Chorus: Now from that Kansas City airport Turning East on I-70 Rolling home in a hurry Didn’t wanna be late For my welcome home parade In Knob Noster, Missouri In Knob Noster, Missouri
4.
BROKEN BY YOUR LIGHT Mark Crisci / Jay Clementi I had thrown in the towel on a picture perfect life Some kids running around the house, and a loving wife War was an easy out, to never give my heart away Sabotaging my own happiness, always too scared to stay The road through the hell of war, Lead me to you, your light was the heaven that got me through A warm ray of sunshine, in a world black as night A breath of peace coming over me that made everything alright The darkness was broken by your light My darkness was broken by your light Musta been those chopper blades were humming a love song never thought I’d meet my soul mate Body armor on But you starting shining with that laugh, that smile and lit up a different path, gave me faith when I thought all hope was gone The road through the hell of war, Lead me to you, your light was the heaven that got me through A warm ray of sunshine, in a world black as night A breath of peace coming over me that made everything alright The darkness was broken by your light My darkness was broken by your light The sandbox is ruthless and it takes from everyone it’s true Somehow I got lucky with the gift of meeting you The road through the hell of war, Lead me to you, your light was the heaven that got me through A warm ray of sunshine, in a world black as night A breath of peace coming over me that made everything alright The darkness was broken by your light My darkness was broken by your light

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Online reunion in October 2020 of Veterans who participated in the September 2019 SW:S Tennessee retreat.

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released November 10, 2020

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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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