Hearts On The Pacific: Hellraiser On Okinawa

This is the first full 'episode' of the Hearts On The Pacific story.

Enjoy:

I was haunting backstreet alleys
You'd better pray to God if you believe
Prepare your eulogy
Watch your back if you want to leave here alive

Over and out sergeant,
Fire at will, at the ready
Have you heard about Riley?
That he died in his sleep
Throat slit, he lies incomplete

Chorus:
Well now I'll write a letter to dear Mom and Dad
'I hope I'll be coming back,
The sun's been a little early'
Oh God, don't fail me now
I've been a good boy since back then

Time flows backwards in these memories
Without the paler faces
And broken bodies
Screaming aloud 'God, please save me'.

I remember the grocery store
The looks on their faces
Oh, what a disaster

Chorus

Bodies burning
Hearts stopped beating
Mitchell's not breathing anymore

Chorusx2

They're screaming on the radio
Screaming on the radio
'The war is won'

We're screaming on the radio
Screaming on the radio
'Have we really won?'

(END)

There's a fair bit to talk about in this song.

The staccato-ish (I think I'm using that right) guitar in the verse represents the gunshots, explosions and general carnage going around the character (Private Jack Miller) as he fights in the final days/weeks of WW2 on the island of Okinawa, Japan.

Backgound info:
In line 1, 'I was haunting backstreet alleys', this refers to Jack's time as a young, small-time criminal in America. He attempts to rob a grocery store (verse 2) and gets arrested. Instead of going to jail, Jack gets the option to enlist in the army instead which he does.

A large portion of the first verse is basically Jack remembering all the words and advice he received from the people he met in the army.

During the pre-chorus, the lessened intensity represents a break in the action as Jack sits with his platoon mates. The first 2/3 lines is him recalling more words from various soldiers he knows. Another soldier talks about Riley, a young soldier who was killed during an earlier night ambush by the Japanese, having his throat slit in his sleep. The reason he 'lies incomplete' is because he never fulfilled his promise to return home to his family (sorry if this wasn't clear).

Thinking about Riley's promise to his family, Jack writes a letter to his parents saying that he's planning to come back to them a better person. The reason he mentions 'God' a number of times here is reflective slightly of his gradual loss of faith after the horrors of the war.

In verse 2, as Jack witnesses the death around him, he recalls why he ended up in the war and ponders if it was worth it.

The bridge is straight-forward enough, more death and horrible stuff.

The outro represents Jack and the others hearing of the end of the war. Outraged by how many lives were lost, Jack asks 'Have we really won?'

Phew, that was major.

Sorry it took a while to get this up.

Until next time.:)

Hearts On The Pacific:Prologue:The Congregation

Yeah, this is it. My big, story-driven song project 'Hearts On The Pacific' and this is the prologue.

This part is set in the 80s, when a Japanese-American mixed man is about to get married. He's nervous and having second thoughts about it but his father comes to calm him down by telling him this story

Here it is:
The congregation sings aloud
Today, you're as high as the clouds
Your hands are shaking
Knees are weak
My son, be at ease

When words are forgotten on lines written on napkins
Your wit means nothing now

Rest your heart on this story
As your head rests on the pillow
Calm the seas of your heart and your soul
Cast away all of your worries and listen to this story

(END)

Its a short song since its only the prologue but The next part is coming very soon :)

A Song For Someone (Distraction)

No time for the explanation now so I'll make this a quickie

Here it is:
Thoughts of you at the back of my mind come running at the sound of your name
Floating gently in a sea of stars
I wish I could make time stand still

Full speed ahead (the clocks won't rewind anymore)
Traavelling only endlessly (December-bound train has left)
Platform noises ringing
'All aboard', the conductor's calling

Standing here with my heart in my mouth
The right words never seemed so wrong
Looking back with content or regret
There are some things that time just can't tell

Now I sit and wait (For one more year to burn)
Should I wish it slowly? (Drifting off now)
I say goodbye to the ground
Yeah, my head's up in the clouds

Chorus:
Have I told you how lovely you are?
Recently, repeatedly
More lapses in my concentration
Don't trust me to lie
Won't you be my distraction

'I love you's have always been so cliche
And cheapened by redundancy
Maybe I should just write you a song
And sing it repeatedly

Chorus

Bridge

Final Chorus:
Have I told you how lovely you are? (The butterflies won't lie to me, my heart stops when you look at me, I get lost in your eyes)
Recently, repeatedly
More lapses in my concentration (I play the silence in my hand, wondering with every second glance)
Don't trust me to lie (Reasons to try)
Won't you be my distraction

(END)

I'll talk about it later :)