Zac Brown Band’s latest song, “Warrior,” was written to pay tribute to the men and women of the US Armed Forces and is available now across all digital streaming platforms here. The song is featured on the country music group’s upcoming album, The Owl.
The Owl will not only feature the intricate melodies and dynamic vocal arrangements that Zac Brown Band has long been known for, but also explore new sounds through the previously announced yet still unexpected collaborations with producers and writers across different facets of the music world including Skrillex, Andrew Watt, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Max Martin, Benny Blanco, and Ryan Tedder among others. Zac Brown Band’s experimentation with sound can be heard throughout the band’s career discography and helped them develop a reputation as one of the most dynamic musical acts, marked by strong musicianship and a creative range that defies genre boundaries.
When discussing how “Warrior” came to life, Zac Brown shared, “Before we wrote the song ‘Warrior,’ I interviewed my friend Alexander R. Oliver who has over 21 years of dedication to our country in Special Ops. He now spends his time helping other veterans with things only they can relate to. He is a true warrior and a wordsmith, so I took some of his story and words and tried to channel a glimpse of what it means to be a modern day warrior. Below is a portion of a speech he wrote that we crafted ‘Warrior’ from:
‘There is no retirement for the warrior. Especially for his mind. Once he is forged and anointed on the battlefield he will always be a warrior. He will long for the feeling of standing with his brothers before the enemy. He will miss the quiet pride of leading his men into victory. And he will never forget the ones who selflessly gave their lives for the betterment of the Tribe. The warrior can always make one more mountain, one more mile and he can always take more weight. He can do all this because he fights for a cause bigger than himself. The warrior will never feel sorry for himself and never ask for help except maybe from his brothers. We eat the pain for a lot of years to keep doing the things we do for our country. The pain takes a backseat for the cause. The cause suppresses the pain and makes it bearable no matter how many injuries are absorbed . But when our contribution to the cause comes to an end the pain loses its suppressor and for some that pain is unbearable. But we all feel it to some degree.’
“Warrior” Audio
Song Lyrics
No one’s born to be a warrior
No one born an average man
We made one or the other
And we try to understand
Try to understand
He will long for the feelings
Standing strong with his brothers
Before the enemy
He will miss the quiet pride
Of his men at his side
As he leads them into victory
He can wash the warpaint off his face
And learn to love a bitter broken place
But nothing quite compares to the taste
He can’t replace it, no, no, no
No one’s born to be a warrior
No one born an average man
We made one or the other
And we try to understand
Try to understand
Warrior, warrior, warrior
Warrior, warrior, warrior
The pain takes a backseat
For a cause, with no applause
From his country
No service leaves him lessor
When he loses his suppressor
And the pain that comes is deafening
He can wash the warpaint off his face
And learn to love a bitter broken place
No one’s born to be a warrior
No one born an average man
We made one or the other
And we try to understand
Try to understand
Warrior, warrior, warrior
Warrior, warrior, warrior
Warrior, warrior, warrior
Warrior, warrior, warrior
We’re all born in hospitals from different states
To moms and dads who work and pray
That we’ll be saved, amazing grace
The chosen few get shipped away
For one more mile and one more day
To harvest souls and bear the weight
And reap the tax that must be paid
(Warrior, warrior, warrior)
No one’s born to be a warrior
No one born an average man
We made one or the other
And we try to understand
Try to understand
Warrior, warrior, warrior
Warrior, warrior, warrior
Warrior, warrior, warrior
Warrior, warrior, warrior
Zac Brown Band is currently touring its summer 2019 The Owl Tour, in support of the upcoming new album release. Both the tour and upcoming album title are inspired by the lore surrounding the great horned owl, which can see perfectly at night, making it a reliable guide, even during dark times. The Owl will explore a deeper side of Zac Brown Band as they pull from this inspiration to create their most personal album to date.
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