Man on Fire

LYRICS LISTED BELOW - I was exiting the highway and saw a homless man on the exit ramp corner holding a sign that read, "Homeless Vietnam Veteran, please help". I was struck by that moment and how it must feel to be in his shoes looking at people who have so much when he had so little...I by no means am taking a political stance on the subject, it's just a snapshot in time and how the inspiration came out into this song.

Lyrics: Man on Fire

I'm a veteran from a far off war
Been kicked aside I find it strange
You turn your head and ignore me
When all I want is your spare change

Your grip tightens on the steering wheel
Hoping for the light to turn
I could be a man on fire
You'd just sit and watch me burn

You read my sign but between the lines
You stare ahead while red turns to green
Would you think to want to change your mind
If you had a taste of where I'd been

Your pockets are deep
But you seem so shallow
"Come on now, help a guy that's down on is luck"
As you thumb past Hamilton, Jackson and Lincoln
All's you throws a single buck

A government that promised freedom
Cause it heard the cries
From refugees and prisoners
That had freedom in their eyes

It's turning point in your salvation
God wants you to learn
I could be a man on fire
You'd just sit and watch me burn

SOLO

You'll find us standing on the street comers
Our situations all the same
Were disposable heroes long forgotten
And to you this is just a game

Can you put a price on freedom
These days that's hard to beat
Cause when your in your bed at night
I'm sleeping in the streets

It's a turning point in your salvation
God wants you to learn
I could be a man on fire
You'd sit and watch me burn

Copyrighted 2008 WSD III Inc. Productions

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Bill
• Dutcher
• Vietnam
• Veteran
• homless
• guitar
• acoustic
• lakewood
• protest

[toddburge]

Bill,

this is touching... and fantastic

such fine work!

Sincerely,

Todd Burge

[greyamw]

Thanks for the song - I was also inspired in a different way by the juxtaposition of the Vietnam Vet in light of the Iraq war and the repetition of it all..

The song I wrote is about an American soldier who survives Vietnam, only to lose his son in Iraq. When you open the video, you can view the lyrics by clicking on "more" to the right of the screen.