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Mark Schultz: Letters from War


About the song:

Album: Stories & Songs | Released: 2003 | Writing Credits: Mark Schultz and Cindy Morgan | Label: Word Records | Length: 4:15  

The story: a young man leaves his home to fight a war and faithfully exchanges letters with his mother. In the heat of a battle, he puts his life on the line in order to save another, and becomes a POW.

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My thoughts: the first time I heard this song – and actually listened to the lyrics, I remember the heartwarming impact it made on me. It isn’t really a song I can relate to but it doesn’t have to be: it’s just good songwriting. Anyone who is a proud American will definitely understand the significance of the lyrics. The soaring instrumental music transports us although I don’t think it is Mark’s best vocal performance, he still does the profound lyrics justice.  

Letters from War is a song of hope and tells the message we want every American family to experience who has a loved one fighting – for every person who stood up and fought to preserve American freedom; it sets up the metaphorical reunion scene every family longs for. I love the song for its inspiration and compelling look at heroism. Today the definition of that is often confused with something it shouldn’t be. We shouldn’t limit patriotism to a day that, to most people just means picnic baskets and fireworks but instead actually reflect what Independence Day means to us; what the Founding Fathers intended. Mark captures a lot of hopeful emotions in this ballad and for that reason the song is a very real, honest one.  

the lyrics

she wrote to him every night as she prayed… her tears stained the paper with every word that she read, it said: I was up there alone, I was out there alone when the shots all rang out, bombs were exploding and that’s when I saw him, he came back for me and though he was captured, a man set me free – that man was your son, he asked to write to you, I told him I would, oh, I swore. It was the last of the letters from war…

About Rissi JC

amateur graphic designer. confirmed bookaholic. bubbl’r enthusiast. critical thinker. miswesterner. social media coordinator. writer.

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11 Comments

  1. I've had this song stuck in my head for days! The first few times I heard it, I teared up. It's so beautiful! The music video of it is very good, too.

  2. Rissi, since I don't have an e-mail for you, I gave to type an off comment on this post….SORRY!

    While at the library, I saw a great looking Hallmark Hall of Fame movie and decided to get it…"Loving Leah." I watched and really liked it. Then I looked on Charity's Place. Let's just say I laughed when I saw that the review was done by you ;-) Do we have similar tastes or what?!

  3. Hayden – it is a beautiful song. I don't know that it's my favorite vocal performance from Mark, but the lyrics are really touching. I actually just watched the video the other day and it was good.

    I am so glad you dropped by, Hayden! I went to leave a couple comments on your blog a while back and something must be off with how our blogs are set up because the comment form on your blog wouldn't let me… well… comment. Anyway, your blog has a lot of fun stuff. (And, I love "Tangled.") Thanks for visiting – stop by again.

    Ella – I heard this song and really thought nothing of it UNTIL I actually LISTENED to the lyrics: they are so heartwarming.

    Oh my gosh! I LOVE that movie! I remember seeing it on TV and being totally enchanted by it – my aunt thought it was strange but I thought "Loving Leah" was one of Hallmark's best. =) It makes me laugh to discover how many similar things we both like! I am so pleased someone else liked it (I must watch my copy again). Perhaps I'll polish my review and post it in the next couple weeks… and I hope we'll get one from you, too. =D

  4. Oh! Come on, Ella; you are going to post a review ONLY if I promise to coment – that hardly seems fair! LOL! Just kidding. =D I'll be looking forward to your thoughts in more detail.

  5. This is such a beautiful, lovely, sad, yet happy song. :) I just LOVE it!!! It brings tears to my eyes every time I here it- and don't cry at ANY type of movie or song!

  6. This is a beautiful song! Like you, I do not think I truly "felt" its message until after multiple plays from the CD. It isn't Mark's best vocal performance, but the lyrics are great. =)

    Thank you SO much for following my blog, Rachel! And for commenting – reading my readers opinions makes it more worth blogging! I hope you check in often. =)

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