What's that Ruckus? #4

Over the past month or so, I've been on a World War II kick regarding my music.  Below are two songs from two different bands that I listen to and enjoy on a regular basis.


Specifically, House of Heroes, a lesser-known Christian band, released in 2008 the thematic album "The End is not the End," which is based entirely on the events before, during and after WW2.  With that considered, I could choose any track to feature, but I'm going to bring "By Your Side" to attention.  It's a heart-jerking acoustic song about brothership in the midst of battle, and in particular how the destruction of war changes families and lives forever.


A Rotterdam November actually derives its band name from the devastating events that occurred in Rotterdam in May of 1940.  In fact, the band offers this insightful excerpt:

What’s up with the name?  Well, Rotterdam is a city in the Netherlands where the downtown was destroyed by bombing during WWII.  At that time, Rotterdam was nicknamed, “the city without a heart.” However, the citizens rallied to replace the destruction with a new downtown and the city was reborn with a new “heart.”  Metaphorically speaking, Rotterdam became an old city with a new heart.  Translating this analogy to the human experience is at the core of the band.

In contrast to the first song, City without a Heart demonstrates that it is the people and not the structures or systems that make the hearts and passions of a unified community.  The parallels to Christian doctrine are numerous.

House of Heroes - By Your Side

(sorry for the poor audio quality)

Born on the plains / a farmers sons and brothers the same
Raised on promises / we'd stay that way
As boys we believed / summers at the sea
We were free / to become men of good will
side by side

And we were children then / footprints in the sand
and where the ocean bends / we made our promises

Duty soon called / 1943 we enrolled
Together we would be / our family's pride

And we were soldiers then / our bodies in the sand
and like that sand through our hands / go our grandest plans

And just to see you face for one moment / I'd cross the ocean again
the end is not the end

And I'll be by your side / on the other side

And through the cloud of death / we find our way back home
and though I hold your hand / all must go alone
And when you see the face of our maker / you don't have to be ashamed
He knows the promises we made


Rotterdam November - City without a Heart




The sky was blue yesterday
but today it turned to the darkest shade of grey
I walk the streets of a European ghost town

When will we be assured? I feel so empty 
When will we be understood? Somethings broken here

I don't want to live my life thinking and pacing 
I don't want to say goodbye to all feeling

Once people talked amongst these markets 
But now, the cobblestone is all alone
These fires have burned to a few embers

We could rebuild this, City without a Heart 
This isn't hopeless, City without a Heart. 


After all that's gone wrong, City without a Heart, 
I'm stronger than a bunch of bombs, City without a Heart. 
These were our dreams once, what looks like piles of ashes. 
The fires of destruction burn hot, but not as hot as my passions.

I don't want to give up now, we've come so far
I can't do this alone, I don't care who you are


Resurrect these buildings, let the melodies ring. 
Set the captives free, set the captives free. 
We could rebuild this city without a heart.