Art often thrives in the aftermath of adversity, and since we last heard from Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, there have been plenty of variables that the five-piece alternative rock act had to endure. But for the Middleburg, Florida-based band, hardships eventually ironed out thanks to unrelenting perseverance, paving the way for the band’s incredibly ambitious (and aptly titled) The Hell Or High Water EP, release August 24th, 2010.
The self-released project comes on the heels of the band’s voluntary parting of ways with Virgin Records, the company that first signed the band for 2006’s gold selling Don’t You Fake It (spawning the smash single “Face Down”), followed by 2009’s Lonely Road (which debuted in the top twenty of the Billboard 200), but eventually became more of an albatross than an anchor for the burgeoning band.
According to the Reap Song facts, the first single from The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus' third studio album, Am I the Enemy?, "Reap", was released via YouTube on March 24 2011, then for download a month later on April 26, 2011. The whole album was released on August 29, 2011.
Ronnie Winter - Lead Vocals,
Josh Burke - Guitar
Randy Winter - Guitar
Joey Westwood - Bass, Vocals
Kris Comeaux - Drums, Vocals
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Godspeed
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You put me on a boat across the sea, in the name of victory
But much to my surprised when I arrived, there was no welcoming committee
Instead there was a man for me to kill, and now I see how this is all too real
Then I saw him standing with a bayonet
And as I ran towards him he hardly broke a sweat
When I took his life he fell to his knees
Godspeed this letter, away from here
I've sealed it with my tears, and stamped it with my fists
And godspeed this letter, away from you
My work down here is through
I'm on my way to better days
And so are you
I'm in his pocket that I saw the picture of his children and his family
And I began to realize this person I despised, in actuality
Was not much different from myself
We probably could have taught each other many things
And now I know its much too late although I couldn't hesitate
I checked his gun, and his chamber was empty
Then I saw him standing with a bayonet
And as I ran towards him he hardly broke a sweat
When I took his life he fell to his knees
And as his eyes began to fade he whispered softly
Godspeed this letter, away from here
I've sealed it with my tears, and stamped it with my fists
And godspeed this letter, away from you
My work down here is through
I'm on my way to better days
And so are you
We know not what we've done
And
We know not what we've done
Godspeed this letter, away from here
I've sealed it with my tears, and stamped it with my fists
And godspeed this letter, away from you
My work down here is through
I'm on my way to better days
And so are you
The lyrics of Godspeed by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus describe the regrets and internal conflict of a soldier after being tasked to kill a man during the Vietnam War. The song is presented as a letter from the soldier to the man he killed, expressing his realization that they were not so different from each other and his grief over having robbed him of his life. The chorus, "Godspeed this letter, away from here," is the soldier's attempt to distance himself from his actions, urging the letter to be sent away from him and the life he had in the warzone, hoping for better days ahead for both him and the man he killed.
The lyrics are poignant and thought-provoking, raising questions about the morality of war and the common humanity of all people, regardless of which side of a conflict they are on. The soldier's inner turmoil is palpable, and the narrative is a striking reminder of the psychological toll that war can take on individuals.
Overall, Godspeed is a powerful commentary on the complicated emotions and experiences of soldiers during war, and is a testament to the impact that music can have in conveying complex messages about important issues.
Line by Line Meaning
Its January 1970, do you remember me
The singer is reflecting on a time when they were sent to fight in a war.
You put me on a boat across the sea, in the name of victory
The singer was sent to fight in a war by their government in the name of victory.
But much to my surprised when I arrived, there was no welcoming committee
The singer arrived at their destination to find that there was no one to greet them.
Instead there was a man for me to kill, and now I see how this is all too real
The artist was immediately sent to kill a man upon arriving at their destination and realizes the harsh reality of war.
Then I saw him standing with a bayonet
The artist sees the man they are supposed to kill holding a bayonet.
And as I ran towards him he hardly broke a sweat
The man they are supposed to kill does not show any fear or panic even as the singer approaches him.
When I took his life he fell to his knees
The singer kills the man and he falls to his knees.
And as his eyes began to fade he whispered softly
The man dying whispers something as he fades away.
Godspeed this letter, away from here
The man dying wishes for this letter to be delivered as quickly as possible.
I've sealed it with my tears, and stamped it with my fists
The man, before dying, ensures that the letter bears the imprint of his emotions and intentions.
And godspeed this letter, away from you
The letter should be sent away from the person the man is writing to.
My work down here is through
The man's work in life is finally done as he passes away.
I'm on my way to better days
The man believes that he is on his way to a better place after death.
And so are you
The man believes that the singer will eventually join him in a better place.
I'm in his pocket that I saw the picture of his children and his family
The singer finds a picture of the man's family in his pocket.
And I began to realize this person I despised, in actuality
The artist realizes that the man they killed was not so different from themselves despite their previous feelings of hatred.
Was not much different from myself
The man they killed had similar qualities to the artist despite their previous differences.
We probably could have taught each other many things
The singer believes that they could have learned from each other if circumstances had been different.
And now I know its much too late although I couldn't hesitate
The singer realizes that it is too late for them to make peace with the man they killed despite their previous doubts about the war.
I checked his gun, and his chamber was empty
The artist double checks the man's gun after killing him and realizes that he could not have killed anyone even if he wanted to.
We know not what we've done
The artist reflects on the act of killing and the consequences it has on all involved.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RONNIE WINTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind