Nick DeStefano is a singer/songwriter hailing from New Jersey who performs around North Jersey with his band The Spiders and has performed all over North America. He has also appeared on MTV and signed a publishing deal with Valentino Music. As a songwriter, his style is acoustic folk, and carries on the folk tradition of lyrically focussing on important societal issues that you wouldn’t normally hear about in mainstream pop music, for example.
This song is about the emotional problems that soldiers often face after returning from duty, a condition called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It’s a difficult subject to write a song about, but Nick DeStefano is good at saying a lot in a few words. With just strummed acoustic guitar and his vocal, the listener’s attention is drawn to the words.
The first verse is told in the third person, depicting a soldier, traumatised by his experiences, having returned from a war zone (” holding back the tears in his eyes, you know he’s feelin’ like he’s wasting away…”. The simple but poignant chorus is sung in the first person: “I’m not the only one who cries, we’re just an army of soldiers on the front line…”. The second verse at least offers a hopeful future (“better days are coming for me….”) for the protagonist.
Overall, this is a poignant and emotive song that tackles a subject that many soldiers and their families will be affected by. It is something that definitely needs more awareness and empathy, as the suffering of war is often more than just physical. Nick DeStefano has done a good job in helping us imagine their plight, and this song should get the airplay and recognition it deserves.
By Alex Faulkner
I’m 34 and a freelance music journalist, as well as a composer and producer. I’ve written reviews for UK newspapers and music websites. I run my own blog, reviewing the best new bands and artists . I’m very passionate and knowledgeable about music and that shows in my writing.
