The Stone (lyrics)
A little history: This song was actually written before the fiftieth anniversary of the end of WWII (1995ish). Sometime between then and now my wife and I made a simple home recording on some inexpensive recording equipment (four track cassette). Just prior to Memorial Day (2009) being recently aware of the Movie capabilities (windows) of our PC, and the use of You Tube, the project was completed in short order (not counting the 15 year dormancy of the song). For what it's worth: I believe God is in the details. Here are the Lyrics:The Stone
(words and music by R.P. Edwards)
Young, immortal, full of dreams
They rise as lofty spires
In my conquest of the world
Ambitions, ever higher
But in the corner of my eye
There stands the stone
As I go by
But I'm much too full of self to see
Or hear the words..."Remember Me"
Years, they pass
And dreams, they fail
One by one they fall
The sure foundations, I believed
Are not so sure at all
At last I learn what I've been told
That treasure lives
But not in gold
So to the stone I come to see
And hear the words, "Remember Me."
Remember me, Remember me
All is freely given
But none of it comes free
Remember me, and teach your children true
Remembering is least
The very least that you can ever do.
So I bring my children to this forgotten stone
The names of those who've died
And with words, imperfect, I try to share
This heart that burns inside
Of freedom's price
And widow's tears
The orphan's cry
That lasts for years
Of young mens lives
Poured out in blood
Of courage shown
Of selfless love.
Listen children
Some of these, they worked the land
They farmed and they ranched the soil
Oh, they hoped and they dreamed
Of better things
Through honest sweat and toil
But they left their plans for a foreign field
Where their blood was sown
Liberty to yield
So when you pass the grain
Or the fruitful tree
Please hear the words, "Remember Me"
And some of these, in cities worked
In factories and stores
In Union trades
And office staff
And salesmen, door to door
But they left their tools
For tools of war
And in cities fell
To rise no more
So when you pass through cities
Please stop to see
And hear the words, "Remember me"
Then I speak of God
And I speak of faith
And the truth that will not bend
Of how compromise destroys this land
That they died to defend
Of how manhood starts
On bended knees
With a humble heart
With but one to please
Then to stand and fight
And act as men
And by this we will remember them
I remember...
Pearl Harbor
Guam
Wake Island
Bataan
Corregidor
Coral Sea
Midway
Guadalcanal
The Kasserine Pass
Salerno
Anzio
The Gilbert Islands
The Marshall Islands
Normandy
The Leyte Gulf
The Battle of the Bulge
Iwo Jima
Okinowa
I remember...
And so I stand
Before the stone of names
My children on each hand
The lecture's finished
My speech is done
I hope they understand
And as we head back towards the street
I quickly turn, their eyes to meet
And say,
"When you see this stone
what does it mean?"
And they tell me, "Dad,
It says 'remember me.'"
Remember me, remember me!
All is freely given
But none of it comes free
Remember me
And teach your children true
Remembering is least
The very least that you can ever do
Remember Me!
In all you do and all you say
Compromise dishonors
What was done that day
Remember me
And teach your children true
Remembering is least
The very least that you can ever do
Remembering is least
The very least that you can ever do
I remember...
(words and music by R.P. Edwards)
Young, immortal, full of dreams
They rise as lofty spires
In my conquest of the world
Ambitions, ever higher
But in the corner of my eye
There stands the stone
As I go by
But I'm much too full of self to see
Or hear the words..."Remember Me"
Years, they pass
And dreams, they fail
One by one they fall
The sure foundations, I believed
Are not so sure at all
At last I learn what I've been told
That treasure lives
But not in gold
So to the stone I come to see
And hear the words, "Remember Me."
Remember me, Remember me
All is freely given
But none of it comes free
Remember me, and teach your children true
Remembering is least
The very least that you can ever do.
So I bring my children to this forgotten stone
The names of those who've died
And with words, imperfect, I try to share
This heart that burns inside
Of freedom's price
And widow's tears
The orphan's cry
That lasts for years
Of young mens lives
Poured out in blood
Of courage shown
Of selfless love.
Listen children
Some of these, they worked the land
They farmed and they ranched the soil
Oh, they hoped and they dreamed
Of better things
Through honest sweat and toil
But they left their plans for a foreign field
Where their blood was sown
Liberty to yield
So when you pass the grain
Or the fruitful tree
Please hear the words, "Remember Me"
And some of these, in cities worked
In factories and stores
In Union trades
And office staff
And salesmen, door to door
But they left their tools
For tools of war
And in cities fell
To rise no more
So when you pass through cities
Please stop to see
And hear the words, "Remember me"
Then I speak of God
And I speak of faith
And the truth that will not bend
Of how compromise destroys this land
That they died to defend
Of how manhood starts
On bended knees
With a humble heart
With but one to please
Then to stand and fight
And act as men
And by this we will remember them
I remember...
Pearl Harbor
Guam
Wake Island
Bataan
Corregidor
Coral Sea
Midway
Guadalcanal
The Kasserine Pass
Salerno
Anzio
The Gilbert Islands
The Marshall Islands
Normandy
The Leyte Gulf
The Battle of the Bulge
Iwo Jima
Okinowa
I remember...
And so I stand
Before the stone of names
My children on each hand
The lecture's finished
My speech is done
I hope they understand
And as we head back towards the street
I quickly turn, their eyes to meet
And say,
"When you see this stone
what does it mean?"
And they tell me, "Dad,
It says 'remember me.'"
Remember me, remember me!
All is freely given
But none of it comes free
Remember me
And teach your children true
Remembering is least
The very least that you can ever do
Remember Me!
In all you do and all you say
Compromise dishonors
What was done that day
Remember me
And teach your children true
Remembering is least
The very least that you can ever do
Remembering is least
The very least that you can ever do
I remember...
