WAR SONG ANALYSIS - "JUST A DREAM" BY CARRIE UNDERWOOD
There were many reactions to the war and foreign policy. Songs were written and people were affected. Here are the lyrics to a Carrie Underwood song titled "Just a Dream" followed by an analysis.
Analysis by Madeline Layeghi
Analysis by Madeline Layeghi
"Just a Dream" by Carrie Underwood
Lyrics:
It was two weeks after the day she turned eighteen
All dressed in white
Going to the church that night
She had his box of letters in the passenger seat
Sixpence in a shoe, something borrowed, something blue
And when the church doors opened up wide
She put her veil down
Trying to hide the tears
Oh she just couldn't believe it
She heard the trumpets from the military band
And the flowers fell out of her hand
Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go?
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
I can't even breathe
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream
The preacher man said let us bow our heads and pray
Lord please lift his soul, and heal this hurt
Then the congregation all stood up and sang the saddest song that she ever heard
Then they handed her a folded up flag
And she held on to all she had left of him
Oh, and what could have been
And then the guns rang one last shot
And it felt like a bullet in her heart
Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go?
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
I can't even breathe
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream
Oh,
Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go?
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
Oh, now I'll never know
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream
Oh, this is just a dream
Just a dream
Yeah, Yeah
Lyrics:
It was two weeks after the day she turned eighteen
All dressed in white
Going to the church that night
She had his box of letters in the passenger seat
Sixpence in a shoe, something borrowed, something blue
And when the church doors opened up wide
She put her veil down
Trying to hide the tears
Oh she just couldn't believe it
She heard the trumpets from the military band
And the flowers fell out of her hand
Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go?
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
I can't even breathe
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream
The preacher man said let us bow our heads and pray
Lord please lift his soul, and heal this hurt
Then the congregation all stood up and sang the saddest song that she ever heard
Then they handed her a folded up flag
And she held on to all she had left of him
Oh, and what could have been
And then the guns rang one last shot
And it felt like a bullet in her heart
Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go?
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
I can't even breathe
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream
Oh,
Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go?
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
Oh, now I'll never know
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream
Oh, this is just a dream
Just a dream
Yeah, Yeah
Analysis, by Madeline Layeghi
This song is definitely anti-war. That is obvious because the song is about the loss of a girl’s fiancé. It is really sad and intense and really makes a statement. The song is dramatic and upsetting. The music video supports the overall message a lot too. The song describes a girl going somewhere with a veil and it sounds like she is on her way to her wedding but instead she is going to her fiance’s funeral. The song talks about when she gets the letter that he is dead. She says over and over “it’s just a dream” because she can’t believe it is happening to her. She says “I was counting on forever, now I’ll never know”. The war killed him and it affected her a lot. A line in the song that I thought was powerful was when she says “and then the guns rang one last shot and it felt like a bullet in her heart”. You can really feel the pain of the families and loved ones of fallen soldiers. This song really does not specifically address the foreign policy, rather it talks about the effects of war. The song writers’ intentions were not to include political messages, although this has been debated. I believe that it might be critical of the foreign policy, questioning weather it is worth it for loved ones to die in order to protect themselves from a country that may or may not be wanting to harm us. However, like I said, this is just my judgement and there are no obvious suggestions. This song answers the question about how the war affects the individual. As you can see, when a person dies in the war, it does not just affect that person, it brings pain and sadness to those who loved that person. It impacts people’s lives greatly when they are at home worrying about their loved ones, and if they die, it makes a huge impact on their lives. Wives lose a husband, children lose a father, and parents lose a son. As shown in this song, a fiancé is a difficult thing to lose at age 18 – or at any age! There is a clear connection between the impact war has on the individual. I absolutely agree with the message of this song. The lyrics say over and over that “this is just a dream” because it seems so surreal. At age 18 your life is just beginning and an event such as this is very impacting. I think this song was made in order to make people realize and try to understand the pain people have felt when their loved ones died because of the war. At the time the song was made, there were many loses and this song was popular because lots of people could relate to it.
This song is definitely anti-war. That is obvious because the song is about the loss of a girl’s fiancé. It is really sad and intense and really makes a statement. The song is dramatic and upsetting. The music video supports the overall message a lot too. The song describes a girl going somewhere with a veil and it sounds like she is on her way to her wedding but instead she is going to her fiance’s funeral. The song talks about when she gets the letter that he is dead. She says over and over “it’s just a dream” because she can’t believe it is happening to her. She says “I was counting on forever, now I’ll never know”. The war killed him and it affected her a lot. A line in the song that I thought was powerful was when she says “and then the guns rang one last shot and it felt like a bullet in her heart”. You can really feel the pain of the families and loved ones of fallen soldiers. This song really does not specifically address the foreign policy, rather it talks about the effects of war. The song writers’ intentions were not to include political messages, although this has been debated. I believe that it might be critical of the foreign policy, questioning weather it is worth it for loved ones to die in order to protect themselves from a country that may or may not be wanting to harm us. However, like I said, this is just my judgement and there are no obvious suggestions. This song answers the question about how the war affects the individual. As you can see, when a person dies in the war, it does not just affect that person, it brings pain and sadness to those who loved that person. It impacts people’s lives greatly when they are at home worrying about their loved ones, and if they die, it makes a huge impact on their lives. Wives lose a husband, children lose a father, and parents lose a son. As shown in this song, a fiancé is a difficult thing to lose at age 18 – or at any age! There is a clear connection between the impact war has on the individual. I absolutely agree with the message of this song. The lyrics say over and over that “this is just a dream” because it seems so surreal. At age 18 your life is just beginning and an event such as this is very impacting. I think this song was made in order to make people realize and try to understand the pain people have felt when their loved ones died because of the war. At the time the song was made, there were many loses and this song was popular because lots of people could relate to it.