IF I SHOULD FALL
First man down in Iraq
First man who’s never comin’ back
He was born in Guatemala
Born and died in that third world squalor
As Jose Gutierrez lie dying on the ground
His band of brothers prayed as they gathered round
Through the madness you could hear the cries
Of a soul fighting to survive
CHORUS
If I should fall – Far from where I was born
Don’t let my soul – Lose its way back home
If I should fall – Far from where I was born
Don’t let me take – Oh, that long
Oh, that long, long, long
Walk alone
He was orphaned as a child
He walked alone and rode trains thousands of miles
From the moonlit boxcar he could see
The land they say you go to find your dreams
As he jumped into the desert night
Saw a dead horse lying in the moonlight
In the distance as he hit the ground
Heard a coyote begin to howl
CHORUS
He was buried in Guatemala
Buried with full military honors
After he died they made him American
Does God care if you’re a citizen?
These sweet, sad indie pop tunes accompany Ian Coss's podcast of the same name, in which he interviews his family about their divorces. Bandcamp New & Notable Aug 17, 2021