The Girl That Can't Say No

A number of our courageous soldiers heard the call on 9/11. For weeks and months after, an unprecedented number of young people visited their recruiters nationwide and signed up for service to fight. Many of these brave individuals gave their life or limbs for our country. Think of all the individuals who had to leave their relationships and loved ones at home. Imagine the fear and uncertainty that all their loved ones felt as their other half shipped off to war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This is the story of one of these brave couples. This young man took off for a war-zone he couldn’t totally comprehend. His life would be forever changed. So would hers... His young girlfriend knew she had found her true love, yet how she felt now is nearly beyond words. It takes a strong trust and faith, to let your best friend and true love head off to war, when all you can dream about, is starting your new life here at home; together.

None of us can predict war and what it may bring. It’s never pretty, and war always brings pain and heartbreak, even when there is a victory. We lift up the spouses and families of all those who have endured their own war, here at home. They also are our Patriots!

Song Information

Length:

4:52

Artist:

Klender

Written By:

Ron Beckett
Bob Huff
Richard Klender
Ted Winchester

Published By:

RGBeckett Music
Bob Huff Music
Klenco Music
Ted Winchester Music (all ASCAP)

Produced By:

Klender

Arranged By:

Ron Beckett
Bob Huff
Klender
Ted Winchester

Credits:

Drums: Kristofer Gerkins
Bass: Ron Beckett
Guitars: Bob Huff
Piano & Vocals: Klender
Engineered & Orchestrated by: Klender

Licensing Requests:

licensing@songtracker.com

View Lyrics

The Girl That Can’t Say No

We were high school sweethearts, as the world watched N.Y. fall
Our lives would change forever, that day I heard the call
While I went off to battle, she fought battles of her own
But her letters kept on coming, while I dreamed of going home

She’s still waiting by that window, at the downtown jewelry store
We couldn’t buy that diamond ring, cause I went off to war…

She’s the girl that can’t say no
She’s the girl that can’t say no

In a flash of noise and smoke, everything went wrong
They dragged me from the battlefield, they said, a part of me was gone
She could never love me now, I’ll never be the same
I’m not her football hero, she doesn’t need this pain

Please tell her for me, brother, I ain’t never coming home
She should find another, she needs to let me go…but

She’s the girl that can’t say no
She’s the girl that can’t say no
She had every reason to go
She’s the girl that can’t say no

When I woke up at Walter Reed, I saw my angel in her favorite dress
Then she pulled out that diamond ring, said “Baby, you’re my hero”…
Put it on, and said “yes”

She’s the girl that can’t say no
She’s the girl that can’t say no
She had every reason to go
She’s the girl that can’t say no
And how I love her so…
She’s the girl that can’t say no

words and music by Beckett, Huff, Klender & Winchester

Behind the Music

This was a tough song to write. We wanted to tell this story from the standpoint of those waiting here at home for their loved ones. We also wanted to honor “Sam”, the beautiful young daughter of our collaborator, Bob Huff, who gave her life on the battlefield of Iraq. There were many layers of pain shed through the writing of this story, from all four of us collaborators, but nothing like Bob must have felt, as he was forced to revisit his own personal nightmare. I remember we were struggling trying to start this story, writing lyrics for hours on end, out on the patio of the Barn, with only a few strong lines. All of sudden, Bob spoke up and uttered, “She’s the girl that can’t say No!” I remember stopping dead in my tracks, turning to Bob, and saying “That’s it!…, there’s our story.” The song began to flow from there. The music flowed relatively easily, but it still took many hours to succinctly land all the word pictures and make it fit within a four to five minute song; although that became an exciting challenge, all four of us embraced.

Behind the Video

Bob Cusick and I spent a day selecting images and editing this story. We wanted to try and tell the story with still photos, using the popular Ken Burns effect. I will admit there was a tear in my eye, on more than one occasion, as we did our best to emulate what loved ones go through for our soldiers. We hope you enjoy and Share this story but moreso, we hope it inspires you to the point of thanking a wife/husband or family member of one of our brave soldiers...

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