Silent Army In The Trees

Being in the army and going to afghanistan next week this song really hit home. Amazing song.

"Well baby don't you let me down A world away and still somehow Can't shake the feeling that you're out With another man's arms wrapped tight around you"

An amazing verse, i feel this way about my fiancee right now, very powerful. Another part that hits is being afraid of kids playing in the streets.

I've been listening to Matt Good since i was a kid and he's never touched me the way he did with this song, and album, being from Vancouver.

This is one of the most powerful songs on the Vancouver album. I liked the contrast he makes between the life his wife/significant other is living at home compared to his life a world away where he is "running red lights in [his] Humvee", and "afraid of little kids playing in the streets". It really makes you appreciate the courageous work our troops are probably involved in this moment as we sit in our comfortable safe homes in North America, without a clue of what is really going on over there.

I remember as a kid dressing up for Halloween as a soldier, and imagining how exciting that career would be to enter when I grew up. All it took was one nightmare where people were shooting at me and I was fighting for my life to realize that it wouldn't be that fun after all. I liked the reference to childhood and naive fantasies about war and the military as well, because of that.

Can't wait for Matt Good's next album!

Before Matthew Good's web page became a pay page I was reading about this song, I wish I remembered exactly what he said about it. But he had been writing it and randomly playing it at concerts since the early 90's. This song has a lot of soul. I am so greatful that he released it. Some of his best work are the songs that were never released. I have heard some demos that ended up being leaked then deleted and I wish that they had all been released.

An excellent track, the additional first verse which isn't on this website adds so much h extra power. Visually this song is highly arresting and very much dispelled the heroic Romanticism of war. A perfect protest song.

Clearly about a person who is in the military and reminiscing about them pretending to be a soldier as a kid. It also obviously compares the brutal differences.

A very powerful song, and clearly a topic he's very passionate about. I remember this song being played back in... '06 or '07? Anyway, clearly he liked it so much he improved on it and put it on the new album. Glad to see it.

New album version contains additional verse:

When you've got to trade for company Those plastic guns and infantry For a silent army in the trees Well this ain't the woods behind the house There ain't nobody screaming out For you to come inside and eat You're just holding your friends and watching them bleed Wore camouflage on Halloween A plastic bag, an M-16 Door to door and house to house But there aint nobody handing it out Yeah, nothing's ever what it seems When you're kicking in teeth and wishing it dreams Just plastic guns and infantry For a silent army in the trees

Well baby don't you let me down A world away and still somehow Can't shake the feeling that you're out With another man's arms wrapped tight around you At night it's cold, we sit and freeze Running red lights in our Humvees Never thought I'd live to see the day I'd be Afraid of little kids playing in the streets Well this ain't the woods behind the house There ain't nobody screaming out For you to come inside and eat You're just holding your friends and watching them bleed

I'm on fire But all ice on the outside That old man in the sky Well he's all ice on the outside

A muted wail out in the streets You watch the stage but burn the seats Two metal legs to get along You ain't got much without one to stand on Sometimes at night I hear it roll A hundred cars long pulling out slow Like the engineers inside my head Cold and dark like your side of the bed Yeah, nothing's ever what it seems And even if it is ends justify means With plastic guns and infantry For a silent army in the trees

I'm on fire But all ice on the outside That old man in the sky Well he's all ice on the outside

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