Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: singer-songwriter
Song Meaning of “I Was Only 19 (Live From ‘The People Speak’)” by Julia Stone
I Was Only 19 brings us to a difficult place in time, depicting the tragic story of a young soldier in the midst of the Vietnam War. We hear Julia Stone sing with a sorrowful and weary voice of a young man whose life was taken too soon. It is a heartbreaking portrait of the deep pain and sadness felt by those who fought in this war.
The lyrics in this song describe a lonely and broken soldier who is struggling to cope with the realities of being so young and being thrust into the heart of a devastating war. He is torn between his freedom and patriotism and the realization that his life may soon be taken away. We hear his desperate plea in the song “Please don’t take me away” as he is filled with dread for the unknown.
The chorus of “I was only nineteen” reflects the tragedy of such a young life cut short due to a long and brutal war. The lyrics remind us of the innocence and the vulnerability of the countless young men who were sent to Vietnam and the irreplaceable loss of human life it caused.
Ultimately, this song serves as a powerful reminder of those who sacrificed their lives for freedom and as a tribute to the generations of soldiers that have served in times of war.