Another fine songwriter, singer and master instrumentalist based in Michigan is Joel Mabus: Click here for website!

The first song of his I'd like to post has to do with the Vietnam War Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.:

TOUCH A NAME ON THE WALL, © 1988 Joel Mabus
[first recorded on The Naked Truth album and re-released as a newly recorded track on Retold, 2008]

Well, I guess you could call it our summer of freedom,
The year that we both turned eighteen
We hitch-hiked to Denver, fresh out of high school
Man, we were sights to be seen.
And that was the year that you dated my cousin,
'Til, they took us away in the fall.
Now I dearly wish you were standing here with me
As I touch your name on the wall.

Chorus:

Touch a name on the wall,
Touch a name on the wall.
God help us all
Touch a name on the wall.

Every time I come here I wear my fatigues,
To honor the men that I knew.
I touch every name that came from my outfit,
And I read them out loud when I do.
Now some people say that they all died for nothing,
Well, I don't completely agree
'Cause this brother here didn't die for no country
He died for me. [CHO]

Now, usually walls are made for division,
To separate me from you.
But God bless the wall that brings us together,
And reminds us of what we've been through.
And God damn the liars and the tin-plated heroes
Who trade on the blood of such men.
God give us the strength to stand up
And tell them "Never again!" [CHO]

Joel is not only addressing the veterans in this song directly but he's also reaching out to the rest of us who were actively opposing this brutal war. No easy task!

Charley Noble