Singer and songwriter Brian Estes is a hard working musician. He regularly writes and releases songs in protest of the powers that hurt his fellow people and in support of all those that stand up against tyranny.

In an interview with contest holders, American Songwriter, Brian explains the idea behind the lyrics to his song “Some Boys Grow Up To Be Soldiers”:

“The character in this song is nobody in particular. We all know him. He’s somebody’s uncle, friend, neighbor, father, son. He’s far from perfect, but when he served he was willing to lay down his life. It didn’t come to that, but he lost some essential part of himself along the way. I think of this as an anti-war song. Not a song about the men and women who die in wars, but about the survivors who return to find home is no longer their home. Of course “he’ll never admit what it cost” and so there is nothing to do but soldier on.”

“Some Boys Grow Up To Be Soldiers”
by Brian Estes

He waves his flag like a martyr
He bears his sins like a cross
He wears his skin just like armor
He’ll never admit what it cost  

He walks with a chip on his shoulder
He carries his burdens alone
Some boys grow up to be soldiers
And some of them never come home  

There once was a time when he loved her
The promise was sealed with a kiss
And sometimes he’s soft like the water
But sometimes he’s hard like a fist  

He can’t feel a thing when he holds her
As if he was carved from a stone
Some boys grow up to be soldiers
And some of them never come home  

His heart wasn’t always so broken
His head wasn’t always so hard
Most of his words go unspoken
Most of his memories are scars  

Each day he’s a little bit older
But the ghosts just won’t leave him alone
Some boys grow up to be soldiers
And some of them never come home  

It seems like she’s staring right through him
From a picture that sits on a shelf
He’s almost glad that she left him
If only he could leave himself  

Each day he’s a little bit colder
‘Til one day he’s cold to the bone
Some boys grow up to be soldiers
And some of them never come home

Cover image taken from the American Songwriter page.

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𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗻! 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮, 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂!