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Here Is Jack

from Sheltermore by Kevin Adams

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about

Jack Kendall was my maternal grandfather. He was a musician. He joined the Army before the Great War as a bandsman. Bad timing. Unlike him, I haven't been through two world wars.
When my uncle died and we cleared his house, we found photos of Grandad, his cornet and his medals, all of which became the starting point for this song.

lyrics

Here is Jack
words & music: Kevin Adams

Here is Jack. Here is Jack.
They swapped his cornet for a rifle and pack.
The guns are firing and there’s no turning back
And Jack is thinking this is not what he planned.
He joined the army just to play in the band-
And now this living nightmare he can’t understand.

He sees a well known face as the nurses arrive.
His sister Mary says, “Thank God , you’re alive!”
They hold each other while the men stumble by.
It’s all too much for him, he just has to cry.
“Oh get me out of here Mary, I don’t want to die."

And here am I, fortunate one
No way to understand the harm that was done
Never had to put on khaki, never made to fire a gun.
Fortunate one.

And here is Jack. Here is Jack.
Some years later and he came through the lot.
A touch of gas on the lungs was all that he got.
He’s made a home and he’s married his bride.
“How was it, Jacky?” “It was cushy” he lied.
He never talks about it, it's locked up inside.

He plays his music at the palais de dance.
It gets him out of the house and he needs every chance.
But there are times when he can still hear the guns.
He’s back in Flanders facing up to the Huns-
And then it's dawning on him- it’s just them old drums

And here am I, fortunate one
No way to understand the harm that was done
Never had to put on khaki, never made to fire a gun.
Fortunate one.

And here is Jack. Here is Jack.
My mother’s father who I barely knew.
Here is his cornet; campaign medals too.

And here am I, fortunate one.
No way to understand the harm that was done
Never had to put on khaki, never made to fire a gun.
Fortunate one.

And here is Jack. Here is Jack.

credits

from Sheltermore, released September 11, 2015
Words & music: Kevin Adams

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Kevin Adams Milton Keynes, UK

Blending traditional folk music with a love of other genres- classical, jazz, folk-rock, prog-rock, pop… music, music, music…

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