1945

Story Behind The Song

My grandfather was a paratrooper in the 2nd world war who was tragically shot down in March 1945 - 2 months after my father was born, and 2 months before the war ended - I wrote this song after visiting his grave in the war memorial cemetery in Kleve, and seeing a magpie sitting at-top the headstone

Song Length 3:22 Genre Folk - Rock
Tempo Non 4/4 Lead Vocal Female Vocal
Mood Endearing, Poignant Subject Hero, War
Similar Artists Joni Mitchell Language English
Era 2000 and later

Lyrics

Can you see him, dancing along on the breeze?
Like dirty water that never washes clean
So cold, so cold in a world full of light
Such a tragic, magic, beautiful sight
Such a tragic, magic, beautiful sight

Can you hear him, crying alone on the fence?
His shimmering blazer his only defence
So childish and manly, repressed by his flight
Such a tragic, magic, beautiful sight
Such a tragic, magic, beautiful sight

How lovely to be as free as he
Wistful and calm with his name
But the hate that he sees in this world full of peace
The shame in his name
Is a tragic, magic, beautiful sight
Such a tragic, magic, beautiful sight

So can you see him, dying alone in the sky?
Returning to his homeland, returning there to die
And his shimmering, jaded blazer with wanting wings of white
Is a tragic, magic, beautiful sight
Such a tragic, magic, beautiful sight
Such a tragic, magic, beautiful sight

Lyrics Lydia Jane Pugh Music Lydia Jane Pugh
Performance Lydia Jane Pugh
This track is on 3 Member Playlists
Playlist Creator Playlist Name Date Added
Ionut Mirel Udrea Best Rock 6/9/2015
Ionut Mirel Udrea Best Folk 6/9/2015
Lydia Jane Pugh Singer-Songwriter 4/26/2014

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