Album: Lonely Road (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about a soldier killing an enemy in battle, only to have him ask the soldier to deliver his last message to a loved one. It starts with a concert bass drum, marching soldiers and crashing cymbals, then finishes with an ethereal gospel choir.

    Bassist Joey Westwood explained: "We felt like we could do anything we wanted to. We didn't want to limit ourselves. We really got to explore different sounds on each song. It shows a broader range of what we're capable of. All those small things taken together really helped open it up stylistically. This record is very visual, almost like a Broadway play."

Comments: 2

  • Hannah from Gustavus, OhI cannot believe this song has so few comments. I almost cried when I heard this.
  • Katie from Berlin, Njone of the best songs on the CD
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Shawn Mullins

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

Bob Dylan Lyric Quiz

Bob Dylan Lyric QuizMusic Quiz

Think you know your Bob Dylan lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"They're Playing My Song

When Dave recorded the first version of the song with his group the Blasters, producer Nick Lowe gave him some life-changing advice.

Gavin Rossdale of Bush

Gavin Rossdale of BushSongwriter Interviews

On the "schizoid element" of his lyrics, and a famous line from "Everything Zen."

Ian Anderson: "The delight in making music is that you don't have a formula"

Ian Anderson: "The delight in making music is that you don't have a formula"Songwriter Interviews

Ian talks about his 3 or 4 blatant attempts to write a pop song, and also the ones he most connected with, including "Locomotive Breath."

Joe Elliott of Def Leppard

Joe Elliott of Def LeppardSongwriter Interviews

The Def Leppard frontman talks about their "lamentable" hit he never thought of as a single, and why he's juiced by his Mott The Hoople cover band.