I mangle song lyrics like crazy - so when I get a chance to find out what I should have been singing for years it makes my heart go giddy-up. This seems appropriate although written for another war. What goes around come back to bite:
Sky Pilot by The Animals
He blesses the boys, as they stand in line
The smell of gun grease and their bayonets they shine
He's there to help them all that he can
To make them feel wanted he's a good holy man
Sky Pilot
Sky Pilot
How high can you fly?
You'll never, never, never, reach the sky
He smiles at the young soldiers, tells them it's all right
He knows of their fear in the forthcoming fight
Soon there'll be blood and many will die
Mothers and fathers back home they will cry
Sky Pilot
Sky Pilot
How high can you fly?
You'll never, never, never, reach the sky
He mumbles a prayer and it ends with a smile
The order is given, they move down the line
But he'll stay behind, and he'll meditate
But it won't stop the bleeding, or ease the hate
As the young men move out into the battle zone
He feels good, with God you're never alone
He feels so tired as he lays on his bed
Hopes the men will find courage in the words that he said
Sky Pilot
Sky Pilot
How high can you fly?
You'll never, never, never, reach the sky
In the morning they return with tears in their eyes
The stench of death lifts up to the skies
A young soldier so ill, looks at the Sky Pilot
Remembers the words 'Thou shalt not kill'.
Sky Pilot
Sky Pilot
How high can you fly?
You'll never, never, never, reach the sky
Long ago - in one of the earlier conflicts - Sky Pilot was the theme song for a group of us whose nickname was Crispy Critters. That's because we flew in helicopters made with a magnesium alloy whose fuel tanks were on the bottom of the craft.
ReplyDeleteThis was in late '68 and sentiment was just turning against the war. All of us volunteered - in one fashion or another - to be in this unit. We accounted for about 50% of the kills in the 1st Cavalry Division and the Cav accounted for a good percentage of the kills for all the Army units.
So what's the point of all this rambling? I just downloaded Sky Pilot and listened to it for the first time in 25 years. It still filled me with the same fatalism that it did all those years ago.
And it sure sounds like the theme song for a new generation in an old conflict.
Know of anyway to post this song on a board that troops in Iraq can get to?
Just put together a Vid-Clip of Iraq used Sky Pilot thought you would want to watch it -8 minutes -
ReplyDeleteI weep , as I watch it...Each Time! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7639110629323419712