If You're Reading This

This song is so good...when he sang it at the awards show it was awesome and the part where all the soldiers families were on stage at the end was so sad...obviously if you read the lyrics you will know what it is about...a soldier who dies at war, and hes basically writing a letter to different people in his family (his mom, wife), explaining to them that hes in a better place...you should really download this song if you havent ever heard it

This song is about a dying soldier. "Lay me down, in that open field out on the edge of town" refers to the memorial cemetary in Washington DC. "Halfway around the world" refers to being in a warzone somewhere across the world. I have my doubts that it has anything to do with cancer. I myself am a soldier currently serving in the Army National Guard. This song gives me goosebumps and I don't think that it has anything to do with battling cancer. I'm sure that you could find other songs like that. This song has been more inspirational to me that anyother war song that I've heard. "War was just a game we played when we were kids"... I don't think that kids act like they had cancer. I will be leaving for Iraq and my fiance is pregnant, and I won't be able to be here for the birth. So if you think that this song is about something other than the life and death of a true American Soldier, I will hold my side of the argument. Until then realize how much this song means to people who fight so that others can be free. We are not appreciated as much as you would think. People just think that war is a part of life. Not this war. This war stands for the freedom and strength of our country. The fact that he says "There's gonna come a day, when you'll move on and find someone else and thats okay. Just remember this, I'm in a better place. Where soldiers live in peace and sing Amazing Grace." That is knowing that if something should happen to him, He wants her to have a better life. Hope you enjoyed my views because if you want more, I have plenty.

i dont think YAHS07 was saying "this song isn't about soldiers, it is about cancer" they were saying that this song could mean many things to many different people.. because its true, it's all about having a different perspective. if everyone had the same perspective on a song, songmeanings.net wouldnt exist, now would it? dont think that its any disrespect to soldiers, i mean its pretty clear this song was written about soldiers, and we all still respect you for what you're doing.. just know that some people appreciate what you're doing as well as varying opinions.

preach it bassisr10486. there are a lot of songs that are vague and can have many different meanings... it's pretty clear this is not one of them. God be with you bassisr10486

I won't take your right to what you believe in. But I will take my right into a strong perspective. When you have cancer, noone shows you that they don't agree with you. Everyday I am ridiculed. Some days people show their appreciation, but other days people look at me and show emotions anywhere from ashamed to angry. I face people the same way every day.

no one is denying that this song is written about a soldier dying in war and it is a letter to his wife. when i first heard this song it was halfway through on the radio and i kept thinking it was about different things until i heard the part about soldiers or something. this song is really moving and i love it... it makes me cry when i sit really listening to the lyrics. however, i can easily see how someone could relate this to their own life struggling with terminal illness (such as cancer) or even something like depression. "lay me down in that open field on the edge of town" could refer to any cemetary or even just any field on the edge of a town - it could just be a special place for the narrator. "halfway around the world" can be figurative... in mental illness (including depression) the person can feel so detached that it may feel like they are a million milles away... or maybe it could mean a hospital and the person is going in for surgery (it could be any type of surgery or treatment) - going in for surgery also can feel like you're a million miles away because you are usually sedated to some degree so you are groggy and you are in a sterile room without your friends and family. "war was just a game we played when we were kids" have you ever played doctor? or pretended to be sick? or it could be a play on words and the "war" we played as kids was the card game, whereas the "war" now is whatever the person has been battling with. again, no one is saying that that is what tim mcgraw was writing about... he was obviously writing about soldliers. no one is trying to take away that sentiment... but the purpose of music (and this website) is to connect and relate the songs to your own life. so if you are a soldier, then that interpretation is extremely personal to you and that is how it should be. but for those of us who aren't soldiers (and aren't married or related to soldiers), other interpretations are personal to us and that is the point of music - to connect with everyone.

I really like this song. It's very moving and touching. One that I can't help but tear up when I hear it. The first time I heard this on the radio was after my little 6 year old cousin passed in May, and then a couple days later as we were driving to go to his funeral. I can't really relate to the rest of the song, but the chorus always gets to me.

This song is about many things... Tim McGraw sung this about the soldiers over in Iraq. Other people might take the context and relate to other "battles" or "wars" they or someone they know might be facing.

Something that should have been said already, but is never too late.

To Bassisr and all soldiers to read this: Good luck, God Bless, and come home safe.

I totally agree that this song is about soldiers but keep in mind music is for everybody. So different people have different wars and struggles in there life so if this song gives somebody who lost somebody to cancer, somebody who is going through depression or any other struggle some comfort then it's also served it's purpose.