In early 2017, Aaron Lewis was hanging out with a few soldiers before a show in North Carolina. They were telling him stories of their service, describing some of the things they experienced overseas.
Lewis’ guitar player, Luc Nyhus, asked if he could play the soldiers a song he wrote, to which they, of course, said yes. Lewis was so moved by the song that he knew he had to start playing it at his live shows.
After a couple months of playing it on the road, he finally released it to the world. He made the announcement on Facebook on June 14, 2017 – which is coincidentally Flag Day.
“In today’s world, the ultimate sacrifice that our servicemen and women give selflessly in protection of the American Dream is often overlooked,” he wrote. “The first time I heard this song, I watched three battle-hardened special forces soldiers cry after hearing it. I knew it hit home and I know it deserved to be heard.”
The meaning being a folded flag.
The folding of the American flag is a solemn and symbolic act performed at military funerals to honor the service and sacrifice of a deceased veteran. Each of the 13 folds has a specific meaning, reflecting values such as life, belief in eternal life, and tribute to the nation’s armed forces.
When fully folded, the flag resembles a tri-cornered hat, reminiscent of the hats worn by soldiers during the American Revolutionary War, symbolizing the nation’s history and the service of its military members. The folded flag is then presented to the next of kin as a token of appreciation for the veteran’s dedication and sacrifice.
Lewis is the perfect person for this patriotic song, which follows a young man who enlisted in the service, then started a family, and makes the ultimate sacrifice for our country, leaving behind his wife and child.
Tears formed in our eyes when he sang the chilling chorus‘ lyrics, “As two men with starch white gloves/Fold the colors as they touch/It’s probably more than I deserve/But I’m proud to get this much/I’m sending all the love I ever have/Inside this folded flag.”
Listen to him perform the song below.