Charlie Boy
LUMINEERS (THE) Lyrics
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First born in '44
Kennedy made him believe
We could do much more
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
And Lillian, don't hang your head,
In uniform you raised a man,
Who volunteered to stand
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Play the bugle, play the taps
Make your mothers proud
Raise your rifles to the sky, boys
Fire that volley loud
News was bad on Upland Ave.,
Metuchen mourn our loss
Sons rebelled, while fathers yelled,
And mothers clutched the cross
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Play the bugle, play the taps
Make your fathers proud
Raise your rifles to the sky, boys
Fire that volley loud
The song "Charlie Boy" by The Lumineers is a poignant ballad that tells the story of two people affected by war - Charlie Boy and Lillian. The first verse speaks about Charlie Boy and how he was born in 1944, during World War II, and how he was made to believe by President Kennedy that they could do much more. The song implores him to not go to war, bringing about a somber mood that fits with the anti-war theme of the lyrics. The second verse is dedicated to Lillian and how she should not hang her head because love should always make one feel good. It also speaks about how she raised a man in uniform who volunteered to go to war.
The chorus of the song has a patriotic feel to it, with the lyrics asking for the bugle and taps to be played loudly and rifles to be raised high. It speaks about how parents should be proud of their sons who fought and died for their country. The lyrics then take a darker turn in the last verse, speaking about how the news was bad on Upland Ave, and how the town of Metuchen was mourning their loss. It speaks about how sons rebelled, fathers yelled, and mothers clutched the cross. The song ends with the same chorus, asking for rifles to be raised once again.
Overall, "Charlie Boy" is a heartfelt tribute to those who have died in wars and is a plea to those who are still alive to not go to war. It speaks about the loss of life and how it affects families and communities.
Line by Line Meaning
Charlie boy, don't go to war,
The singer is addressing Charlie boy, advising him not to go to war.
First born in '44
Charlie boy was born in 1944.
Kennedy made him believe
Charlie boy was influenced by Kennedy's belief that they could do much more.
We could do much more
Kennedy believed they had the potential to do much more than they already were.
And Lillian, don't hang your head,
The singer is addressing Lillian, advising her not to be upset.
Love should make you feel good
The singer believes that love should make Lillian feel good, not upset.
In uniform you raised a man,
Lillian raised a man who eventually volunteered for war while he was in uniform.
Who volunteered to stand
Lillian's son volunteered to serve in the military.
Play the bugle, play the taps
The singer is asking for the bugle and taps to be played in honor of those who died in war.
Make your mothers proud
The singer wants the soldiers to make their mothers proud by honoring their sacrifice.
Raise your rifles to the sky, boys
The soldiers are being told to hold their rifles up high.
Fire that volley loud
The soldiers are being told to fire their rifles loudly in salute of their fallen comrades.
News was bad on Upland Ave.,
The news was bad on Upland Avenue following the deaths in war.
Metuchen mourn our loss
The community of Metuchen is mourning the loss of those who died in war.
Sons rebelled, while fathers yelled,
The sons rebelled while the fathers yelled, possibly due to loss or grief.
And mothers clutched the cross
The mothers held onto crosses, possibly to pray for the safety of their loved ones or in memory of the fallen soldiers.
Make your fathers proud
The soldiers are being asked to make their fathers proud by honoring their sacrifice.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jeremy Fraites, Maxwell Hughes, Wesley Schultz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind