Search by Title

A	B	C	D	E	F	G
H	I	J	K	L	M	N
O	P	Q	R	S	T	U
V	W	X	Y	Z	#

Browse Categories Random Songfact Random Category Add to Songfacts Take the Quiz SongFAQ Get the Newsletter E-Mail Us Message Boards Full Interviews Lyrical Pursuit Song Fallacies

Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

This is about Flight 93, the plane that was hijacked on September 11, 2001, but crashed in Pennsylvania before hitting the terrorists' target, which was probably a building in Washington, D.C.

Young wrote this after reading about Todd Beamer, one of the passengers who fought the hijackers and crashed the plane. Beamer called an Airfone operator to explain that they were going to rush the terrorists. Before he hung up, the operator heard him tell the other passengers, "Let's Roll."

"Let's Roll" was Beamer's favorite saying. He said it to his kids all the time.

The lyrics are taken from Beamer's conversation with the Airfone operator.

Young sent this to radio stations without telling them it was coming or promoting it in any way. As soon as a few stations started playing it, many others followed. It is very rare that a song gets airplay without heavy promotion from a record company.

This was not released as a commercial single, meaning you cannot buy it.

Young plans to include this on his next album, and also make a donation to a Beamer family fund.

The band playing with Young on this is Booker T. & the MG's, a legendary group who have played on many Soul classics by Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Isaac Hayes. They had a hit of their own in 1962 with "Green Onions."

Frank "Poncho" Sampedro joined on guitar for this. He was a member of Young's band, Crazy Horse.

According to CNN, Young was threatened with civil action by Beamer's wife Lisa, who stated that prior to the song's release she had planned to trademark the phrase "Let's Roll" to be used on various collectibles, in hopes of attracting prospective converts to fundamentalist Christianity. Several merchants had applied for the trademark before her, and before Young's song was released. (thanks, Ekristheh - Halath)

Comments:

This song's available on iTunes now, so a lot more people can buy it.
- Scott, Boston, MA

Hello, Anybody Out There? Larry Haertling
- Larry, Winchester, CA

I Think you sould ALL watch Mystries of 911 at let'sroll911.org! And then coment on this song! Larry Haertling
- Larry, Winchester, CA

Wow, I have an mp3 of this, I feel privileged!
- Ron, Bentonville, AR

Actually, Beamer didn't say "let's roll..." he said "roll it!" meaning a coffee cart they were going to use. More at wikipedia. But like many military and law enforcement officers, he was fond of the phrase and people who knew him said he used "let's roll" for "let's go".
- Ekristheh, Halath, United States

I have listened to free-form stations before. There aren't any where I live though. I definitely wasn't listening to a free-form station at that time.
- Stefanie, Rock Hill, SC

There is a classic rock station wher I live, but it probably didn't play it. That station on a scale of 1 to 10, has a 0 in the variety department.
- Stefanie, Rock Hill, SC

Pop stations in central Indiana played this fairly often when it came out.
- Ekristheh, Halath, United States

A very good song...I do recall hearing it many times on the radio, especially some classic rock stations.
- Leon, Waterbury, CT

This song, along with Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising," are the best ones written about 9/11. Todd Beamer and his fellow passengers were heroes, without a doubt. Stefanie, you probably wouldn't have heard the song unless you listened to a "free form," "adult rock," or "classic rock" station. Pop stations didn't play it.
- Pat, Las Vegas, NV

If the song was played a lot on the radio, then i never heard it.
- Stefanie magura, Rock Hill, SC

Great song, I love it. Let us always remember the brave of our country.
- Andrew, Springfield, MO