Justin Moore’s ‘The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home’ Is (Sadly) Timeless [Listen]
There's nothing fancy about Justin Moore's new song "The Ones That Didn't Make It Back Home." The traditionalist's next chapter will begin with a good ol' American military tribute.
Moore's fallen soldier tribute comes wrapped in rural America imagery to the point that you almost wonder what war he's referring to. Iraq? Afghanistan? Vietnam? The message may be that heartbreak of this type is timeless — a mother or a wife who lost a son 50 years ago can no doubt relate to what someone who just got that knock on the door last week is feeling.
The silver lining to "The Ones That Didn't Make It Back Home" is also the deepest dagger to the heart. Our soldier dies in the first verse, but it's the sense of community shown in the second verse that's universal. Relatively few families have a son or daughter killed in combat, but everyone knows what it feels like to grieve alongside a neighbor. The commercial success of Moore's new single depends on that sense of unity trumping political rhetoric.
Did You Know?: "The Ones That Didn't Make It Back Home" was born out of a tribute Moore does every concert. For years he's asked his fans to raise a glass to those lost fighting for American freedom overseas. Finally it occurred to him that he should write it in song.
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Justin Moore, "The Ones That Didn't Make It Back Home" Lyrics:
Tour was up, middle of June / She was planning a welcome home barbecue / Green bean casserole, Grandma recipie / There was a knock on the door around 2 o’clock / Two uniforms and her heart stopped / A yellow ribbon around an oak tree / Blowin’ in the breeze.
Chorus:
Here’s to the ones that didn’t make it back home / The ones we haven’t seen in so long / The hold up a beer ones, the wish they were here ones / The not forgotten but gone / They’re in a better place up there / But they still left a hole down here / We’ll just go on livin’ and go on missin’ the ones / The ones that didn’t make it back home.
The whole town shut down, the whole town showed up / Sang Amazing Grace, watched a slide show of his 22 years / There was laughs and there was tears / And that preacher talked about sacrifice and traffic stopped for them Cadillac lights / Johnny sold beer half price that night / And everybody raised ‘em high singing …
Back to that front porch / Back to that front door / To the life they were fighting for.