It's an instructive juxtaposition listening to Bernie Taupin explain his poignant lyrics in the context of his father's World War II service and the "Greatest Generation," while at the same time (belatedly) becoming immersed in the Foyle's War television series from Great Britain.
It should suffice to point out that not every member of the greatest generation was created equal, but we've chosen to remember the better angels of their nature in this former time, perhaps because the contrast between then and now (think: government shutdown) seems more palatable if we erase past dissonance.
But what a wonderful song. In fact, Elton John's album (The Diving Board) is another example of distinguished late period rock and pop music. Check it out.
I hung out with the old folks, in the hope that I'd get wise.
I was trying to bridge the gap, between the great divide.
Hung on every recollection, in the theater of their eyes
Picking up on this and that, in the few that still survive.
Call em up
Dust em off
Let em shine
The ones who hold onto the ones, they had to leave behind
Those that flew, those that fell,
The ones that had to stay,
Beneath a little wooden cross
Oceans away
They bend like trees in winter, these shuffling old gray lions
Though snow white start to gather, like the belt around Orion.
Just a touch of faded lightning, of the powerful design,
Of the generation gathered, for maybe the last time.
Call em up
Dust em off
Let em shine
The ones who hold onto the the ones, they had to leave behind
Those that flew, those that fell,
The ones that had to stay,
Beneath a little wooden cross
Oceans away
Oceans away where the green grass sways and the cool wind blows across the shadow of their graves.
shoulder to shoulder, back in the day, sleeping bones to rest in Earth
Oceans away
Oceans away
Call em up
Dust em off
Let em shine
The ones who hold onto the ones, they had to leave behind
Those that flew, those that fell,
The ones that had to stay,
Beneath a little wooden cross
Oceans away
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