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The Ones He Left Behind

Date: October 16, 2004 @ 5:49 AM

Many of our soldiers and Marines fight their own personal wars long after the horrors of battle are over. I have written this song in remembrance of the ones who have lost the war within themselves, and to draw attention to the problem that so many veterans deal with in silence today.

Please visit my site and listen to the song. Listen here:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/6/chrisgarrettmusic.htm

The Ones He Left Behind (Chris Garrett)

He sits staring at the TV
Sometimes when it's not even on.
He wonders if he's crazy,
He's not sure now anymore.
His legs are paralyzed -
A gift from "Victor Charlie".
Too afraid to close his eyes,
He can't control his heartbeat.
'Cause he hears those haunting voices
That call out in his mind -
The voices of the ones he left behind.

Chorus 1

Texas'll never ride the range again.
And Comanche, he's danced his last dance
With that Indian Summer wind.
Gunny never saw his little girl.
He lays awake 'till morning breaks
'Cause when he shuts his eyes,
He dreams about the ones he left behind.

vs 2

So many years have passed now,
But the pain's as fresh as yesterday.
The war goes on inside him,
The dark side's just a step away.
There's nothing he can do
'Cause he can't face his demons.
He thought the fight was through,
But he still hears their screamin'.
He can't escape those haunting voices
That call out in his mind _
The voices of the ones he left behind.

Repeat Chorus 1
Texas'll never ride the range again.
And Comanche, he's danced his last dance
With that Indian Summer wind.
Gunny never saw his little girl.
He lays awake 'till morning breaks
'Cause when he shuts his eyes,
He dreams about the ones he left behind.

vs 3

He wheels into the bedroom
And finds his issue .45.
He puts on his dress blues -
First time since 1969.
He's gotta still those haunting voices
That call out in his mind -
The voices of the ones he left behind.

Chorus 2
There's Texas waving from the other side.
And the beauty of Comanche's dance
Across the Great Divide.
Gunny's waitin' on his little girl.
The voices rage inside his mind,
He's crossed over the line...
And now he's with the ones he left behind.

(©copyright 2003 Chris Garrett)

Story behind this song: This is a quick demo of the song to get feedback before I actually begin work on a finished master recording of the song. The final version will retain many of the elements that are in the demo, but many things will be changed and added such as real guitars, a really solid vocal, background vocals, and more dynamics in the accompaniment tracks.
I am working in concert with a few organizations and special ministries right now to use this song to help spread awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder in individuals who have seen combat.
I've wanted to write this song for years. I would like to be able to use this song to benefit veterans. If any of you have other ideas to use this song to raise awareness of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, give me a holler at:
alngvw@aol.com

figfarmer

Date: October 22, 2004 @ 9:37 AM

Hey Chris. I just ran into you somewhere else; I think it was at Little Wolf's House of Writing, and I commented on your song there; liked it. I just posted another silly one at soundclick under the band name Phybes.

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