These Three Remain
(capo 4)

People occasionally ask me what I deem to be my “best” song. This would probably be the one because of its simplistic complexity. Written on Dec. 7, 2000 (2 pm – 12:30 am) after reading "The Greatest Generation" (Brokaw). It was a conversation with a friend that set the wheels in motion and sparked the idea of juxtaposing a war-ravaged soldier on the ideals of faith, hope and love. If I were never to write another song, I could quit knowing that a lifetime of words were spoken in this one 4-minute monologue.

faith: it is a soldier in the 82nd Corp
the first wave into Europe,
then barely made it home
with hands like my father's
now shaking like a leaf
clinging to my rifle with no sign of peace
hope: these are the trenches
of this God-forsaken war
I caught an hour or two of sleep
the night before
with eyes like my mother's
once bright, blue and wide
I've seen boys shot to pieces
and held their hand as they died

I remember me,
do you remember you?
I'd just as soon forget
all those things I had to do
over there I was scared
in my pain, I'll take all the blame
now these three remain

Love: it is the trembling
and the scattering of dust
it's looking out into a field
I know that I must cross
here I am at twenty,
prepared to lose my life
I do it for my country,
I would have done it for my wife

I remember me,
do you remember you?
I'd just as soon forget
all those horrible things I had to do
over there I was scared
despite my pain, I'll take all the blame
now these three remain
now these three remain