Mark Schultz: Letters from War

by 

Mark Schultz: Letters from War. Sharing thoughts on this powerful and emotional song from Mark Schultz. All text is © Rissi JC / RissiWrites.com

About the song:

Album: Stories & Songs | Released: 2003 | Writing Credits: Mark Schultz and Cindy Morgan | Label: Word Records | Length: 4:15  

The story: a young man leaves his home to fight a war and faithfully exchanges letters with his mother. In the heat of a battle, he puts his life on the line in order to save another, and becomes a POW.

RELATED | Kristin Chenoweth: Some Lessons Learned
Mark Schultz: Letters from War #FWarchives Click To Tweet

My thoughts: the first time I heard this song – and actually listened to the lyrics, I remember the heartwarming impact it made on me. It isn’t really a song I can relate to but it doesn’t have to be: it’s just good songwriting. Anyone who is a proud American will definitely understand the significance of the lyrics. The soaring instrumental music transports us although I don’t think it is Mark’s best vocal performance, he still does the profound lyrics justice.  

Letters from War is a song of hope and tells the message we want every American family to experience who has a loved one fighting – for every person who stood up and fought to preserve American freedom; it sets up the metaphorical reunion scene every family longs for. I love the song for its inspiration and compelling look at heroism. Today the definition of that is often confused with something it shouldn’t be. We shouldn’t limit patriotism to a day that, to most people just means picnic baskets and fireworks but instead actually reflect what Independence Day means to us; what the Founding Fathers intended. Mark captures a lot of hopeful emotions in this ballad and for that reason the song is a very real, honest one.  

the lyrics

she wrote to him every night as she prayed… her tears stained the paper with every word that she read, it said: I was up there alone, I was out there alone when the shots all rang out, bombs were exploding and that’s when I saw him, he came back for me and though he was captured, a man set me free – that man was your son, he asked to write to you, I told him I would, oh, I swore. It was the last of the letters from war…

About Rissi JC

amateur graphic designer. confirmed bookaholic. bubbl’r enthusiast. critical thinker. miswesterner. social media coordinator. writer.

11 comments

  1. I've had this song stuck in my head for days! The first few times I heard it, I teared up. It's so beautiful! The music video of it is very good, too.

  2. Rissi, since I don't have an e-mail for you, I gave to type an off comment on this post….SORRY!

    While at the library, I saw a great looking Hallmark Hall of Fame movie and decided to get it…"Loving Leah." I watched and really liked it. Then I looked on Charity's Place. Let's just say I laughed when I saw that the review was done by you ;-) Do we have similar tastes or what?!

  3. Hayden – it is a beautiful song. I don't know that it's my favorite vocal performance from Mark, but the lyrics are really touching. I actually just watched the video the other day and it was good.

    I am so glad you dropped by, Hayden! I went to leave a couple comments on your blog a while back and something must be off with how our blogs are set up because the comment form on your blog wouldn't let me… well… comment. Anyway, your blog has a lot of fun stuff. (And, I love "Tangled.") Thanks for visiting – stop by again.

    Ella – I heard this song and really thought nothing of it UNTIL I actually LISTENED to the lyrics: they are so heartwarming.

    Oh my gosh! I LOVE that movie! I remember seeing it on TV and being totally enchanted by it – my aunt thought it was strange but I thought "Loving Leah" was one of Hallmark's best. =) It makes me laugh to discover how many similar things we both like! I am so pleased someone else liked it (I must watch my copy again). Perhaps I'll polish my review and post it in the next couple weeks… and I hope we'll get one from you, too. =D

  4. Oh! Come on, Ella; you are going to post a review ONLY if I promise to coment – that hardly seems fair! LOL! Just kidding. =D I'll be looking forward to your thoughts in more detail.

  5. This is such a beautiful, lovely, sad, yet happy song. :) I just LOVE it!!! It brings tears to my eyes every time I here it- and don't cry at ANY type of movie or song!

  6. This is a beautiful song! Like you, I do not think I truly "felt" its message until after multiple plays from the CD. It isn't Mark's best vocal performance, but the lyrics are great. =)

    Thank you SO much for following my blog, Rachel! And for commenting – reading my readers opinions makes it more worth blogging! I hope you check in often. =)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

(Enter your URL then click here to include a link to one of your blog posts.)

Optimized by Optimole