Hundred Mile Stare

Album: American Soldier (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Vocalist Geoff Tate explained this song on Queensrÿche's discussion forum Anybody Listening: "This is one of my favorite songs on the collection. I like the idea of what this song is saying, and the lyrics are almost hard for me to sing, because the soldier is saying, 'What ever happened to people feeling a conviction and having faith in an idea and a belief? People can't stand their ground. I've always known that it's very black and white, and I have no fear of any judgment. The military has taught me that...' I find that statement to be really challenging, because I'm one of those vacillators that goes back and forth and tries to think of every angle, the cause and effect. That's definitely not me talking! [Laughing] The chorus talks about the mentality of the unstoppable force. If you've ever played a sport or have been on a roll writing music as a musician, you know that unstoppable feeling - that's what this song is getting at. It's a combat song, really. It's one of my favorite melodic Queensrÿche songs. It's very anthemic with really beautiful parts."
  • The song is written from the perspective of a soldier preparing for battle, and transcribes the train-of-thought running through his head. It examines the contradictory nature of absolute conviction: how we can be lost without it, but with too much be drawn into hardheaded conflicts.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Mark Arm of Mudhoney

Mark Arm of MudhoneySongwriter Interviews

When he was asked to write a song for the Singles soundtrack, Mark thought the Seattle grunge scene was already overblown, so that's what he wrote about.

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

U2

U2Fact or Fiction

How did The Edge get his name? Did they name a song after a Tolkien book? And who is "Angel of Harlem" about?

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.