Story Behind The Song
It, literally, took my breath away to find my dad's POW dog tags and a picture.
| Song Length |
3:38 |
Genre |
Classical - Contemporary, Folk - Contemporary |
| Tempo |
Medium Slow (91 - 110) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Poignant, Moving |
Subject |
War, Patriotic |
| Language |
English |
| |
Lyrics
?THE LOAD?
©2005 Bill Pittman
I found his P.O.W. tags, it took my breath away
A man became a number, that haunts me still today
One four six five seventeen, six digits hung on him
The matching picture made me gasp, he was so scary thin
[ CHORUS: ]
Cry, no tears but how I cried
'Cause I know it changed him inside
So blue from what a war can do
THE LOAD becomes a part of you
He never talked about it much but I slowly came to know
When January 16th came, The Load would always show
I'd ask if he was tired or sick, he'd stay in bed all day
The annivers'ry that never failed to make him feel that way
[ CHORUS - REPEAT ]
[ BRIDGE: ]
It hit me how these heroes live with their own penal code
Shouldering such heavy weight, a burden called THE LOAD
[ BREAK ] ( verse progression )
[ CHORUS - REPEAT ]