Story Behind The Song

A Vietnam Vet is sitting on a cement, ornate bench in a soldier's cemetery. He is in Uniform, wearing dark glasses. There is a thick mist over most of the graves. We see his name tag, A. Capitani. In his hand, he holds a picture of the platoon before it shipped out...a bunch of young men barely old enough to drink a bottle of beer. He can't see their faces anymore...all he can see is shadows because of his Vietnam injuries and experience. In civilian life, he was a tinkerer of machines and a successful inventor. As he sits there listening to the music, scenes of carnage populate his memories. He'd rather see the Shadows...they are far less vivid and don't torture him the way his memories do. His brother, Salvatore, was a musician, a saxophonist who wrote the song he is listening to. As the Captain of the platoon he saved the lives of his men by giving them cover fire while the fell back to safety. They needed to come up with a different name for him...Capitani wouldn't work in the field. He was known as Sal Sax, and it is he who plays the solo in the end. Anthony Capitani is sitting in front of his brother's grave. He didn't make it back... and was awarded the Medal of Honor postumously. Anthony lays the medal on the headstone which reads: Here lies Salvatore Capiitani, a hero who gave his life for his country. There must always be a better alternative than war. Pray for it always. Sal would want you to.

Song Description

In 1968, I had a draft number of 96. I was headed to Vietnam until an eye doctor discovered that I had Glaucoma. I was subsequently classified as 4 F. Many of my friends were not. I wrote this song, not only for the ones who didn't make it, but also for the ones left behind to mourn for them.

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