Hidden Wounds
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Track info
- Hidden Wounds contains excerpts from an Erwin James’s article in The GuardianĀ about the alarming numbers of ex-servicemen in prison
- Music
- dEUS
- Words
- Tom Barman
- Credits
(What’s that sound)
The woman looked like a large rag doll smashed to pieces. The incident that affected him most profoundly occurred while he was leading a mobile patrol. It was 1972.
(What’s that sound)
A massive explosion a hundred yards in front of Johnson’s vehicle brought the patrol to a halt. A bomb had been detonated in an underground toilet.
(What’s that sound)
Johnson saw people scattering through swirling clouds of thick black smoke. Within minutes he had cordoned off the area and mounted guards to provide cover against snipers just in case it was a set-up.
(What’s that sound)
Raised voices caught his attention. A man was screaming at a policeman and pointing at the toilet. He was shouting, ‘My wife’s in there!’ Johnson raced towards the man.
Redemption isn’t coming soon
I’m stuck here with these hidden wounds
All the things they made me do
They haunt me
(What’s that sound)
I’m drinking just to dull the pain
Images won’t go away
They count the dead
Now why don’t they just count me
(What’s that sound)
I was about to give the order when one of my men found a woman’s shoe. Then I found her. She looked like a large rag doll smashed to pieces.
(What’s that sound)
All that was left of her clothing was a piece of rag around her neck; other parts of her had just been blown off. Even her toes were missing. I covered her with my combat jacket and carried her out to an ambulance.
On the first day of the year
You had a grip on all the fears
You were a diamond
But then gradually I’m told
They got a hold of your soul
Your bones are crying
Only wants all the world to stop and let ’em know
What you’re going through
And no one understand the pain
They thought you were just playing games
It breaks my heart today
Just to hear you say
Redemption isn’t coming soon
I’m stuck here with these hidden wounds
All the things they made me do
They haunt me
(What’s that sound)
I’m drinking just to dull the pain
Images won’t go away
They count the dead
Now why don’t they just count me
(What’s that sound)
And I see the days go by
But I’m just feeling numb
There’s no one here to come over
Cause they hate to see me cry
They think I’ve gone insane
These hidden wounds will stay open
I was taught to love and not to hate
As violence becomes my fate,
I’m like a bomb, might detonate
It scares me
(What’s that sound)
I’m longing for another spring
A little love, a natural thing
Someone to hold, just anything
That’s scare free
And I see the days go by
But I’m just feeling numb
There’s no one here to come over
Cause they hate to see me cry
They think I’ve gone insane
These hidden wounds will stay open