Story Behind The Song

Every year on Rememberance Day, I used to see the old veterans of WW1 and WW2 at various ceremonies to honour those who served. Each year, their number would be smaller, until in 2009, there were no more WW1 veterans left. One of them, Harry Patch, used to say he was "Just an Ordinary Man" I was so moved by an interview I saw, when he made that statement, that I got together with Lorena Cabano and wrote our tribute to ALL of those Ordinary Men who sacrificed so much for our freedom.

Song Description

Freedom Probably one of the Worlds' most Expensive commodities. Those of us who are fortunate enough to have it, often take it for granted. Those among us who protect and preserve that FREEDOM, can pay an enormous physical/emotional price, to do so. Whatever your views on whatever conflict has, is, or will rage, those Ordinary Men, and Women have, are, and will stand to protect and preserve that FREEDOM. Whether by choice or circumstance. I HONOUR THAT STANCE. See it on You tube www.youtube.com/watch The Ordinary Men and Women who stand, face (sometimes) terrible physical/mental trauma. Through this song, I hope to make more people realize the debt we owe to those EXTRA-Ordinary Men and Women.

Lyrics

©2009 R Myers/L Cabano Ordinary Men


I'm just an ordinary man,
That's what he said to me.
Those medals right across his chest
Spoke dif'rently.
He's in a wheelchair by the monument,
I was reading down the roll,
The names of those who won't return,
Who'd paid the final toll.

That afternoon he told me,
Of their courage under fire.
Some times his voice would falter,
I saw mem'ries in his eyes.
He said he had to tell their story,
Ev'ry now and then.
He told me that those heroes,
Were just ordinary men.


(Chorus)
His battle isn't over,
Even tho' he's home today.
It's burned into his memory,
It never goes away
Tho' I tried my best to take it in,
I couldn't understand,
Why that old soldier said
He's just an ordinary man.

(Solo)

He told me of the pain they felt,
The trials they went thru.
The sacrifices that they made,
Protecting me and you.
Maybe if we stop to think,
'Bout what they did, and then
We'd realize those heroes
Were no ordinary men.

(2nd Chorus)
Their battle isn't over,
Even tho' they're home today.
And you cannot put a value on,
The price they had to pay.
So we've got to try to take it in
And then we'll understand
That none of those old soldiers
Were just ordinary men.

(Bridge)
That old soldier shook my hand,
Then turned and wheeled away.
And I knew that I had met
No ordinary man that day.



(3rd Chorus)
His battle isn't over,
Even tho' he's home today.
And you cannot put a value on,
The price he had to pay.
I've had the chance to take it in
And now I understand
That none of those old soldiers were
Just ordinary men.



(Fade Out)