Sacrifice
Elder Dallin H. Oaks Lyrics
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Tobacco farm on the mountainside
Played football for the high school team
Fell in love with Sally Jean
Heard the call of his Uncle Sam
Headed off to Vietnam
When he comes home gonna settle down
But somewhere, in a river
Navajo boy stares at the sky
Tired of the reservation life
He has hopes, he has dreams
Joins the United States Marines
Marine works hard, he pulls his weight
His people are proud, he's a hero they say
When he comes home, gonna be a great day
But somewhere, in a desert
The Marine died for me
[Chorus]
So I can live
In the land of free
Raise my kids
Live my dreams
There's a price
For liberty
Sacrifice for me
Punches that clock at a half past eight
Just like any other day
Brooklyn fireman callin' home
Gonna be late something big is going on
The world had changed in just one day
The devil himself had sent those planes
When he gets home gonna hold his wife
But somewhere, in a tower
The fireman died for me
[Chorus]
Long black wall
Fields of green
Pillar of fire
Distant beach
Cross of white
The hero dies
Sacrifice for me
The lyrics of Elder Dallin H. Oaks's song "Sacrifice" convey different stories of individuals who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The song highlights the bravery, dedication, and selflessness of these individuals who have laid down their lives for the freedom of their fellow citizens. The first verse of the song tells the story of a boy who grew up in Caroline, worked on a tobacco farm, played football, and fell in love. However, he heard the call of duty and headed off to Vietnam. He intended to come back home and settle down, but he died in a river. The second verse tells the story of a Navajo boy who joined the Marines to fulfill his dreams, pulled his weight, and became a hero to his people. However, he died in a desert. The third verse is about a Brooklyn fireman who punches the clock and goes to work like any other day. He is called to something big going on, and he rushes to the scene. He dies in a tower.
Through the lyrics of the song, Elder Dallin H. Oaks brings to light the sacrifices of thousands of individuals who have died while serving their country. The song also reflects on the meaning of liberty and the price that has been paid for it. The lyrics remind the listener that freedom and liberty should not be taken for granted but should be cherished because of the sacrifices that have been made for it.
Line by Line Meaning
Boy grew up in Caroline
There was a boy who grew up in Caroline.
Tobacco farm on the mountainside
The boy grew up on a tobacco farm on the mountainside.
Played football for the high school team
The boy played football for his high school team.
Fell in love with Sally Jean
The boy fell in love with a girl named Sally Jean.
Heard the call of his Uncle Sam
The boy received the call to serve his country from Uncle Sam.
Headed off to Vietnam
The boy went to Vietnam to fulfill his duty.
When he comes home gonna settle down
The boy had aspirations to settle down after returning home from his service.
But somewhere, in a river
However, he died while serving his country and made the ultimate sacrifice in a river.
Navajo boy stares at the sky
There was a Navajo boy who was staring at the sky.
Tired of the reservation life
He was tired of living on the reservation.
He has hopes, he has dreams
Despite this, he had hopes and dreams for the future.
Joins the United States Marines
He decided to join the United States Marines.
Marine works hard, he pulls his weight
The Navajo boy worked hard and contributed equally as a Marine.
His people are proud, he's a hero they say
His people were proud of him and they considered him a hero.
When he comes home, gonna be a great day
The Navajo boy looked forward to the day when he could return to his family and friends.
But somewhere, in a desert
Unfortunately, he died while fighting for his country in a desert.
So I can live
The sacrifices made by these individuals allowed us to live in peace.
In the land of free
Those sacrifices were made to provide us with freedom.
Raise my kids
We have the opportunity to raise our children because of these individuals who sacrificed for us.
Live my dreams
We are able to pursue our dreams because of the sacrifices made by these individuals.
There's a price
However, freedom comes at a price.
For liberty
The price we pay is for liberty.
Punches that clock at a half past eight
There was a man who went to work every day.
Just like any other day
His days were like any other day until one fateful day.
Brooklyn fireman callin' home
The man was a Brooklyn fireman and he was calling his home.
Gonna be late something big is going on
He knew he would be late because something major was happening.
The world had changed in just one day
The events of that day changed the world forever.
The devil himself had sent those planes
The man knew that the planes were sent by evil individuals.
When he gets home gonna hold his wife
After the chaos had subsided, the man looked forward to holding his wife.
But somewhere, in a tower
Unfortunately, he died while responding to the tragedy in a tower.
Long black wall
The wall is a symbol of remembrance and honor for those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice.
Fields of green
The fields are a symbol of the life that was given for our freedom.
Pillar of fire
The pillar of fire represents the determination and bravery of those who served.
Distant beach
The distant beach is a symbol of the sacrifice that was made across the world.
Cross of white
The white cross serves as a symbol of faith and the ultimate sacrifice.
The hero dies
The true heroes made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Sacrifice for me
The sacrifices made by these individuals were made for our benefit and they will never be forgotten.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ARCHIE PENA, EMILIO ESTEFAN JR., SHALIM GERARDO ORTIZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind