The music video for 'Letters From Home' was filmed at the Army Aviation Support Facility and features actual National Guard soldiers, with Fred Mullins portraying a G.I. who is receiving these letters from home. The daily life of a soldier and the obstacles faced each day away from home was Montgomery's inspiration.
Keith originally did not want to record the song and instead only performed it in concert and for the military. It wasn't until he was approached by Gen. James L. Jones, Commandant of the Marine Corps, who told him, "It's your job as an entertainer to lift the morale of the troops" that he recorded the song.
The song is about the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which was ambushed by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. The survivor of the song is Niles Harris, a hero of Big & Rich's Big Kenny. Big Kenny received a top hat from Harris years after his Vietnam days and now wears it onstage during live performances.
Jackson immediately wanted to write a song about September 11, but he didn't want it to be jingoistic or vengeful. It took him more than a month to think of the lyrics, which came into his head when he woke up one morning in October. He was afraid to record the song, because he did not want to capitalize on tragedy, but after showing the song to his wife she knew he had something.
This was the first Cash album that was solely written by him, the title track obviously included. 'Ragged Old Flag' is actually a spoken-word tribute to America, with patriotic chords playing in the background. Cash's own patriotism during the Watergate scandal inspired him, making it clear that no matter what his country goes through he will be proud of it.
'American Soldier' was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard country singles chart for four weeks. Keith grew up in a patriotic family and has put on seven USO shows for the troops since the War in Iraq began in 2003. Toby commented on the song saying, "I would have never been able to complete 'American Soldier' if it weren't for the experiences I had."
The song itself was not written for any war or political event in particular, but it has been massively popularized during wartime. First, during the Gulf War and again after the Sept. 11th attacks and Iraq War. After its original release, the song reached No. 7 on the country chart, and after being re-released in 2001 it reached No. 16. 'God Bless the USA' was influenced by the recession in the early '80s and released during the 1984 presidential race between Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale.
1. Too bad none of the older patriotic songs are included in this. The song "Grand Old Flag" comes to mind, as does "Battle Hymn of the Republic", "Yankee Doodle" and even "Dixie". I'm not sure how Alabama's song 40 Hour Week is included in this - more of a union anthem than patriotic song.
Posted at 2:41PM on Jun 30th 2009 by Hank