He came into this world, helpless and unformed
I held him in my arms as he lay newly born
I said I would protect him and soothed him with my voice
America, here's my boy
I taught him to say words and stand up on his feet
I held his tiny hand as we crossed the street
I told him that his days should be sown with joy
America, here's my boy
We watched them play soldiers out on the schoolyard
Pretending that the enemy was nothing like we are
With glory for the hero whose weapon's just a toy
America, here's my boy
They said there were sacrifices greater than the need
The strength beyond blood that no mortal hand can bleed
The letter I received, I held it in my hand
And though the words were clear, I could not understand
How the memory lives beyond what can destroy
America, where's my boy?
America, where's my boy?
I held him in my arms as he lay newly born
I said I would protect him and soothed him with my voice
America, here's my boy
I taught him to say words and stand up on his feet
I held his tiny hand as we crossed the street
I told him that his days should be sown with joy
America, here's my boy
We watched them play soldiers out on the schoolyard
Pretending that the enemy was nothing like we are
With glory for the hero whose weapon's just a toy
America, here's my boy
They said there were sacrifices greater than the need
The strength beyond blood that no mortal hand can bleed
The letter I received, I held it in my hand
And though the words were clear, I could not understand
How the memory lives beyond what can destroy
America, where's my boy?
America, where's my boy?
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da "Song Reader"
Nel 2012 Beck decide, invece di pubblicare un album, di pubblicare un songbook, un libro di spartiti musicali, testi e immagini intitolato Song Reader.
Quasi come se si trattasse di standard di cui non esiste una prima incisione originale, molti fan di Beck ma anche gruppi più o meno affermati si sono cimentati con le canzoni e le hanno incise con i più svariati arrangiamenti. Il sito ufficiale del progetto ha incluso i link a tutte le interpretazioni.
Questa canzone fa parte del progetto ed è stata incisa tra gli altri dal David Sinclair Trio, da Swamp Dogg, da Lelia Moss, dai Wake Me For Coffee e dalla e LSU Symphony Orchestra. Si ispira alle tipiche canzoni patriottiche della Prima Guerra Mondiale (in particolare, anche per la copertina, a questa) quando le madri americane si dichiaravano pronte a donare i loro figli alla patria, ma il finale dove "here's my boy" diventa "where's my boy" (una volta arrivata la fatidica lettera) racconta, utilizzando volutamente un linguaggio antiquato, la storia di troppe madri americane che non hanno visto i loro figli tornare dall'Afghanistan o dall'Iraq.