In an interview in the new Relevant Magazine, Jeff Tweedy says that the song is told fromt he point of view of a Civil War soldier who was paid to fight as a substitute for a wealthy man (a common practice.) He's now about to die and is writing to the man who paid him to fight. Tweedy also said this song was written without judgment either on the speaker or the man who paid him.
Also, this song originally had an unmanagable number of verses (14? I don't remember.)
In an interview in the new Relevant Magazine, Jeff Tweedy says that the song is told fromt he point of view of a Civil War soldier who was paid to fight as a substitute for a wealthy man (a common practice.) He's now about to die and is writing to the man who paid him to fight. Tweedy also said this song was written without judgment either on the speaker or the man who paid him.
Also, this song originally had an unmanagable number of verses (14? I don't remember.)