This is old but for anyone who is confused (like I was) this song is based off the story Speakibg of Courage by Tim O'Brien This is the summary so the song makes more sense - After the war, Norman Bowker returns to Iowa. On the Fourth of July, as he drives his father’s big Chevrolet around the lake, he realizes that he has nowhere to go. He reminisces about his high school girlfiend, Sally Kramer, who is now married. He thinks about his friend Max Arnold, who drowned in the lake. He thinks also of his father, whose greatest hope, that Norman would bring home medals from Vietnam, was satisfied. Norman won seven medals in Vietnam, including the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. He thinks about his father’s pride in those badges and then recalls how he almost won the Silver Star but blew his chance. He drives around the town again and again, flicks on the radio, orders a hamburger at the A&W, and imagines telling his father the story of the way he almost won the Silver Star, when the banks of the Song Tra Bong overflowed.

@sofifithe1st20

5 жыл бұрын

I realized this today when reading O'Brien's book, "The Things They Carried," with the chapter titled "Speaking of Courage" and "Notes." He discussed the story he had written before as well as how he changed it to fit within the book, highly suggest those interested in this song to read the story/chapters!!

@beepbeepeddie8010

4 жыл бұрын

wow

@carmcakes1687

Жыл бұрын

I really needed this, thank you!

Wow. WOW. This song and Ben's voice and the piercing emotion both off of him and the music- this is stunning.

i.... i think this is the first time i have ever heard benjamin fankhauser's head voice and my own two ears are SHOOK

OMG I love how he puts so much emotion into EVERY PERFORMANCE he's such an angel and has such a godly voice💕💕i just love him so much!!!!

his expressions.......wow

The story in this song is fantastic and his voice is so emotional and spectacular!

This song is so freaking amazing i just sat still processing the lyrics and i realize it's telling some sort of story? It's beautiful and having Ben as the storyteller is amazing

@lailag4621

7 жыл бұрын

could you explain it for me bc i kinda get it but not really (im too enchanted by ben)

@piperkingston3894

7 жыл бұрын

Laila G It's based of a story by Tim O'Brien called "Speaking of Courage"

we just read the things they carried in my English class and I knew this sounded familiar-

can this song PLEASE be available for purchase?? i listen to it all the time. it so good!!! really emotional and ben’s voice just sounds incredible!!

When you get back And you’ve got time left on your hands Guess you drive around the lake Tires grazing the borderlands Of the shore that you wish You were sure was in De Moines Telling dad about the medals All the medals you enjoyed And I’d say “I won them all Except for one, dad Except for one I won every single medal Except for courage, dad Except that one.” Drive over to Sally’s Where she’s out mowing the lawn; Husband safe inside the house She’s got a lazy red blouse on And we’d stop, and we’d talk And I brag and don’t say anything about medals of valor; About medals of courage And she laughs, and we smile, and we sit for a while But there’s no fireworks, no fireworks, around us There’s no fireworks, no fireworks around us Drive through a McDonalds Spending hours on the line Telling stories through the speakers Some demented kind of shrine And the voice says to cry, so you cry And you think about those medals of valor; Those medals of courage And the voice says to pay So you pay, and you leave But there’s no fireworks, no fireworks around us There’s no fireworks, no fireworks around us And all at once you're back In a lake around the world Your friend is drowning They go on drowning in a lake made of shit And you try to pull him out, and flares go off and colors fly And you reach to pull And you give up, and flares go off And he dies, and he dies, and he dies, and he dies, and he But there are fireworks, fireworks around us There are fireworks, fireworks around us When you get back With more than time left on your hands And your dad’s been dead for years No one named Sally understands So you drive around the lake You were sure was in De Moines; Not thinking about colors, or any medals anymore

songs based off The Things They Carried are always my favorite songs, and this is no different. its a super good book (one of my favorites ive had to read for english) and i understand the lyrics so thats fun. ben's voice is also super good :-)

I want this sheet music!!!!

Freaking love Ben

I know this video is old,, but uhm, I translated the lyrics for anyone who wants to sing along: When you get back, and you’ve got time left on your hands Guess you drive around the lake, tires grazing the borderlands of the shore that you wish, you were sure was in De Moine Telling dad about the medals, all the medals you enjoyed. And I’d say “I won them all, except for one, dad Except for one. I won every single medal Except for courage, dad, except that one.” Drive over to Sally’s, where she’s out mowing the lawn; husband safe inside the house, she’s got a lazy red blouse on And we’d stop, and we’d talk, and I brag and don’t say anything about medals of valor; about medals of courage And she laughs, and we smile, and we sit for a while But there’s no fireworks, no fireworks, around us There’s no fireworks, no fireworks around us Drive through a McDonalds, spending hours on the line, telling stories through the speakers, some demented kind of shrine And the voice says to cry, so you cry, and you think about those medals of valor; those medals of courage And the voice says to pay, so you pay, and you leave But there’s no fireworks, no fireworks around us There’s no fireworks, no fireworks around us And all they want’s your back, in a lake around the world, your friend is drowning They go on drowning in a lake made of ships, and you try to pull him out, and flares go off and colors fly And you reach to pull, and you give up, and flares go off. And he dies, and he dies, and he dies, and he dies, and he But there are fireworks, fireworks around us, there are fireworks, fireworks around us. When you get back, with more than time left on your hands, and your dad’s been dead for years no one named Sally understands, so you drive around the lake, you were sure was in De Moine; not thinking about colors, or any medals anymore.

@i.s.s.y7998

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the lyrics! I think the (???) you put is "They go on"

@elias2729

6 жыл бұрын

I.s.s.y no problem!! And thank you

@contemptation

2 жыл бұрын

i know you might not see this considering this is three years old but it's lake full of shit, not ships! its part of the story this song is based on :-)

Hi... I love him

When will this be avaliable on spotify???

Here's the summary for what the song is based on if anyone was wondering. www.sparknotes.com/lit/thingscarried/section14/

Can someone explain this song to me? Actually nevermind😅