While most Americans may celebrate Memorial Day with family gatherings, grilling, beach and pool days, etc., it’s important to remember the reason for the federal holiday. Every day normal Americans enlist in the Armed Forces to sacrifice their lives for our freedom. I think we often take that for granted, so I’ve complied five songs that represent the sacrifices soldiers and their families make daily.
Toby Keith – American Soldier
“American Soldier” is one of many patriotic songs by Toby Keith. It’s no secret that the late country star was a staunch supporter of our troops, and rightfully so. The song attests to the loyalty, fearlessness, and bravery of every American serving in our Armed Forces. The track was among Keith’s 20 No. 1 hits and was inspired by meeting soldiers on the many USO tours he conducted throughout his career.
The video was filmed at Edwards Air Force Base in California featuring off-duty soldiers, reservists, and their families. It features Keith performing in a military aircraft hanger intercut with clips of a soldier and his family prepping to leave to serve our country. The clip also features snippets of soldiers from the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and Desert Storm.
Tim McGraw – If You’re Reading This
Tim McGraw debuted “If You’re Reading This” at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2007 where he received a standing ovation. The song is a tribute to soldiers who have died in the form of a letter to their families stating, “If you’re reading this, I’m already home.” McGraw co-wrote the track with Brad and Brett Warren after reading a magazine article on war casualties. McGraw invited one hundred relatives of soldiers to join him on stage.
Despite having a studio version, the song landed at No. 35 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart after radio stations began playing the unsolicited live version following the broadcast. The label remixed the recording to remove most of the audience except for the applause at the end, and included it on his Let It Go album. “If You’re Reading This” was also promoted in place of “I Need You,” a duet with wife Faith Hill that had been released to radio.
Metallica – One
Metallica released “One” as the third and final single from its 1988 album, …And Justice for All. Frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich wrote the seven-and-a-half minute piece about a World War I soldier who was severely wounded by a landmine. In the track, the subject, who’s blind deaf and unable to speak or move, begs God to take his life.
“One” was the first video by the band. It portrays a soldier in a hospital bed with interlays of the 1971 film, Johnny Got His Gun. Metallica bought the rights to the film to avoid paying royalties for the clip that was in high rotation at MTV at the time. The song was the band’s first to chart in the US, reaching No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Justin Moore – The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home
Country star Justin Moore wrote “The Ones That Didn’t Make it Back Home” with producer Jeremy Stover, Boys Like Girls’ Paul DiGiovanni and Chase McGill to pay homage to soldiers who didn’t return from duty. The song was released as the first single from his fifth studio album, Late Nights and Longnecks, in 2019.
The track reached No. 1 on the Billboard US Country Airplay chart and has bene certified platinum the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Its music video was directed by Moore’s social media manager Cody Villalobos who was a former emergency medical technician. Villalobos was inspired to include policeman and firefighters in the video alongside soldiers following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting that killed 17 people and injured 18 others in Miami in 2018.
Sammy Hagar – Remembering the Heroes
Sammy Hagar released “Remembering the Heroes” as part of his seventh studio album Three Lock Box in 1982. Hagar co-wrote the uptempo track with Journey and keyboardist/vocalist Jonathan Cain about the sacrifices made by our soldiers, despite political beliefs.
The song portrays a wounded soldier returning home from war to “find he’s been forgotten” by those around him. “Remember the heroes
Who fight for the right to choose / Remember the heroes / Just another life to use / Remember the heroes / We’ve all got a lot to lose,” he sings in the chorus.
The song wasn’t released as a single and no video was produced, which may be why it often flies under the radar for patriotic tunes.
