The Charlie Daniels Band, ‘Let ‘Em Win or Bring ‘Em Home’

It was only a matter of time before a the infamous Westboro Baptist Church ended up in a country song, and Charlie Daniels does the American military proud by properly squashing them under the heel of his cowboy boot in the song 'Let Em Win or Bring 'Em Home,' just released to digital retailers.

This lyric is only a coda to the patriotic song, and comes toward the end while he's singing (talking) about the sacrifices our military personnel make: "And they hold their head up higher / And keep hiding all the hurt / While that bunch of dirty scumbags at the Westboro Baptist Church / Insult our fallen heroes whose boot strings they're not worthy to untie."

This is the highlight of a song that otherwise sounds like one Daniels wrote one morning over a cup of coffee and recorded by lunchtime. There's no denying the singer's passion for his message -- who could ever accuse Daniels of being a bandwagon patriot? -- but the lyrics are clunky and poorly arranged. The chorus is one long run-on sentence that loses punch as it plods along.

"America / Red, white and blue / How many heroes bled and died for you / Answered the call / And gave it all / And you know they'd probably do it all again / But we've listen to / Pundits and fools / Now we fight our wars by someone else's rules / But even if we had to stand alone / I say you either let 'em win or bring 'em home," he sings.

The "Say a prayer for Bobby/Sally/Mama/Daddy" theme is effective, but their stories lack the detail to lift them from the land of the generic. "He's seen a lot of killing / Though he's only turned 19 / He's a brave American warrior / And a Semper Fi Marine," Daniels sings in the first verse. A better song would include moments that force even the most apathetic American to stop and think about the young lives at risk during war.

Listen to the Charlie Daniels Band, 'Let 'Em Win or Bring 'Em Home'