Story Behind The Song

Chris DeMarco was a soldier in Vietnam and used his personal experience as a basis for the song but moved the setting to our current conflict in Iraq

Song Description

A soldier is wounded and dies in Iraq.

Lyrics

Waves of heat rose in the shade
As a car stopped at a road blockade
A soldier came to check they're papers
And the whole world exploded
I jumped from my jeep and started running
With the sound of the engine still gunning
Through the black smoke I could see his eyes
So calm and cool, then they closed
I dragged his body from the spreading flames
He grabbed my arm and I heard him say
Please don't let me die...and the sun beat down

I feel like a drowning man
In the middle of the sand
I'm going down In this damned Holyland
And here you are,but who are you
Just another...Unknown Soldier

The moments seemed to last forever
As time and place didn't seem to matter
It could have been any war
A soldier was down
He asked me to take the letter
Written to his wife and his baby daughter
Then far away on the hot wind came
The wail of lonely sirens
I held his hand
And the sun beat down

I found myself alone by the river
Wondering if he was going to live or die
They took him away that night
Leaving me to question Oh God Why?
With shattered breath he'd whispered
Don't forget your promise
And through my tears I could see his eyes
So calm and cool and then they closed
They closed...