Remembering…

”Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke, rising against that blue sky? Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor, or did you just sit down and cry?”

Two years ago, I posted this video on 9/11.  I mentioned on that post that  I’ve watched a lot of videos about 9/11 on YouTube and most of them have pictures or video from that horribly tragic day. You have probably watched some as well.

But I still think this song by Alan Jackson, Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning? says so much that I decided to post it again.

I know there are some who feel we need forget that day and move on. But I believe for those who senselessly lost their lives that day, for the friends and families who lost loved ones, and for the brave men and women who were true heroes that day, we ought to remember.

Alan first performed this song at the Country Music Association’s annual awards show on November 7, 2001. It became the single of the year as well as the song of the year for 2001.

A Little Background About the Song

Speaking of the song, Jackson said, ”I’m sure there are people who criticize it, but I wrote what I felt; I didn’t premeditate anything. I’m just a singer of simple songs, and that’s the truth. And I don’t know the difference in Iran and Iraq. And some people that aren’t real religious probably don’t want to hear it, and that’s all right. I didn’t sit down to heal the world or anything.”

The story goes that he sat upright in bed one night in late October with most of it in his head. ”After the 11th, I was pretty disturbed, like most people. For a few weeks I thought about writing something. I’m sure a lot of people who write songs felt the same way, but I didn’t want to write a patriotic thing and couldn’t think of anything that didn’t feel like you’d be taking advantage of it commercially.

So I didn’t think anything else about it, to be honest.” But that night, the melody, opening lines, and chorus came to him. “I went downstairs in my underwear and put this thing down so I wouldn’t forget it the next morning.”

”It’s been overwhelming, the response to it, and a little scary, really, for me,” I’ve had so many people come up to me, and I don’t know what to say, other than that I just feel like it was a gift from God. I don’t know why He picked me to send those words to, but I’m glad it’s been a healing song for some people.”

And so, on this the 10th anniversary of that horrible day, I think his song is still very healing.

[If you cannot see the player or it’s not clickable on this page, just click the title above]

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God Bless the USA.

Mike Verdicchio