Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Bayard

(28,210 posts)
54. James Taylor, "Far Afghanistan"
Fri Aug 8, 2025, 11:47 PM
Aug 2025


Back home Indiana, we just learn to get along
Civilized and socialized they teach you right from wrong
How to hold your liquor and how to hold your tongue
How to hold a woman or a baby or a gun

But nothing will prepare you for the far Afghanistan
You can listen to their stories and pick up what you can
You listen to their stories maybe read a book or two
Until they send you out there, man you haven’t got a clue

Oh the Hindu Kush, the Band-e Amir, the Hazara

They tell you a tradition in the hills of Kandahar
They say young boys are taken to the wilderness out there
Taken to the mountain alone and in the night
If he makes it home alive they teach him how to fight

They fought against the Russians, they fought against the Brits
They fought old Alexander, talking ‘bout him ever since
And after 9/11 here comes your Uncle Sam
Another painful lesson in the far Afghanistan

I was ready to be terrified and ready to be mad
I was ready to be homesick, the worst I’ve ever had
I was ready to be terrified and ready to be mad
I was ready to be homesick, the worst I’ve ever had
I expected to be hated and insulted to my face
But nothing could prepare me for the beauty of the place

No matter what they tell you all soldiers talk to God
It’s a private conversation written in your blood
The enemy’s no different, badass holy wind
That crazy bastard talks to God and his God talks back to him

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

The Battle of New Orleans by Johnny Horton biophile Aug 2025 #1
Jimmy Driftwood Maninacan Aug 2025 #19
..."down the mississiippi river to the gulf of america?" n/t rampartd Aug 2025 #23
Yes I must have listened to that a thousand times in my childhood biophile Aug 2025 #43
'Tear the Fascists Down' True Dough Aug 2025 #2
Please, Mr. Custard by Larry Verne sinkingfeeling Aug 2025 #3
"The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down" --The Band hlthe2b Aug 2025 #4
The night Chicago died unblock Aug 2025 #5
"When Johnny Comes Marching Home" niyad Aug 2025 #6
Goodnight Saigon (Billy Joel) Mad_Dem_X Aug 2025 #7
Great song! Chasstev365 Aug 2025 #17
VietNam Song Ptah Aug 2025 #8
That's the "'Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin-To-Die' Rag" (n.t.) Oeditpus Rex Aug 2025 #16
It's the Fish Cheer. Ptah Aug 2025 #20
The Fish Cheer is Oeditpus Rex Aug 2025 #38
Do you enjoy the song? Ptah Aug 2025 #39
I have Oeditpus Rex Aug 2025 #44
I have joined the Association Against Pendantics. Ptah Aug 2025 #45
Oh Oeditpus Rex Aug 2025 #46
They are people that Ptah Aug 2025 #47
You don't like Britons? Oeditpus Rex Aug 2025 #48
The uncertainty of those people disappointments me. Ptah Aug 2025 #53
"March of the Women" Ethel Smyth niyad Aug 2025 #9
Two More Chasstev365 Aug 2025 #10
WWII. Harker Aug 2025 #11
First song that came to my mind! I love it Easterncedar Aug 2025 #52
Same here. Harker Aug 2025 #59
Sunday Bloody Sunday" - U2 Wiz Imp Aug 2025 #12
And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda - The Pogues Wiz Imp Aug 2025 #13
How could I forget? Yes this is real: It was cut from the Blues Brothers movie Chasstev365 Aug 2025 #14
Ohio - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Wiz Imp Aug 2025 #15
Enola Gay - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark Wiz Imp Aug 2025 #18
Sting - They Dance Alone Donkees Aug 2025 #21
Hamilton. I saw the musical Hamilton last night. applegrove Aug 2025 #22
Country Joe--The March of the Dead thucythucy Aug 2025 #24
Phil Ochs Chasstev365 Aug 2025 #25
Song of Roland - written in the 11th century justaprogressive Aug 2025 #26
Ballad of the Alamo, by Marty Robbins. Borogove Aug 2025 #27
Gordon Lightfoot - Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Coloradan4Truth Aug 2025 #28
The wearing of the green GreenWave Aug 2025 #29
3 rules of discipline and 8 rules of attention GreenWave Aug 2025 #30
The Battle Hymn of the Republic. By Julia Ward Howe. raging moderate Aug 2025 #31
Sink the Bismarck - Johnny Horton Eugene Aug 2025 #32
See my Blues Brothers version on the tread. Chasstev365 Aug 2025 #33
The Price of a Mile - Sabaton Eugene Aug 2025 #34
Anything on Sabaton's "The Great War" jmowreader Aug 2025 #35
Zombie - The Cranberries Cloudhopper Aug 2025 #36
The Lebanon ZDU Aug 2025 #37
Fernando Rastapopoulos Aug 2025 #40
I'm surprised you chose that ABBA song... JoseBalow Aug 2025 #42
It's about the Mexican revolution synni Aug 2025 #55
Trouble Every Day JoseBalow Aug 2025 #41
So Long Mom I'm Off To Drop The Bomb NoPasaran Aug 2025 #49
Comanche (The Brave Horse) LogDog75 Aug 2025 #50
Winds of Change Skittles Aug 2025 #51
James Taylor, "Far Afghanistan" Bayard Aug 2025 #54
Billy Don't Be a Hero...(Sorry I was just watching a YouTube video on worst songs from the 70s) LeftInTX Aug 2025 #56
LOL! Chasstev365 Aug 2025 #57
Leningrad 10 Turtle Day Aug 2025 #58
Joan Baez, "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" some_of_us_are_sane Aug 2025 #60
Latest Discussions»The DU Lounge»Post a song about a histo...»Reply #54