The Hero

from NAKED TRUTHS by John Hanlon

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An anti-war song disguised as a powerful, maybe even beautiful, middle of the road ballad. The Hero is clearly an ironic title.

lyrics

Out upon the water a fishing boat is moving through the dawn
Carrying a hero — everybody knows he’s coming home
Standing on the shore she’ll be waiting
Baby in her arms loudly wailing

And none of us will ever know the things he saw that he will never tell
We herald his arrival with soft singing and loud ringing of the bells
The coffin comes ashore
There is a small parade
We gather in the church
Some heartfelt speeches made
Let’s raise him up today
For soon he will be gone forever

Standing in the graveyard
A little boy tries hard to understand
Your father was a hero
They tell him as they shake his little hand
He served his country well
That’s what the army said
But we didn’t win that war
We try not to count the dead
Generals survive politicians lie
The people who make bombs and guns
Have businesses that thrive
And it’s been going on and on and on and on forever

credits

from NAKED TRUTHS, released August 8, 2021
ARRANGED AND PRODUCED BY Russell Finch

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all rights reserved

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about

JOHN HANLON image

JOHN HANLON Auckland, New Zealand

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, the son of a Chinese mother and New Zealander father of Swedish, Irish and Scottish extraction.
Raised variously New Zealand, Singapore and on an iron mine deep in the jungles of Malaya,
In the early 70’s, accidentally became a Pop Star in New Zealand.
In 1978 left the stage for a quieter, more private life
Now, nearly fifty years later, is back with a new album. ... more

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