Fireworks - Ben Fankhauser

FIreworks
Music and Lyrics by Zack Zadek
Performed by Ben Fankhauser @ Cutting Edge Composers VI
Directed and Produced by Laura Pietropinto
Associate Produced by Allie Glickman
Music Directed by Julie McBride and Ben Rauhula
For more of your favorite Cutting-Edge Composers videos, visit their exclusive channel on Broadwayworld.com at broadwayworld.com/topic/CUTTIN...

[@nickia7578]

This is old but for anyone who is confused (like I was) this song is based off the story Speakibg of Courage by Tim O'Brien
This is the summary so the song makes more sense - After the war, Norman Bowker returns to Iowa. On the Fourth of July, as he drives his father’s big Chevrolet around the lake, he realizes that he has nowhere to go. He reminisces about his high school girlfiend, Sally Kramer, who is now married. He thinks about his friend Max Arnold, who drowned in the lake. He thinks also of his father, whose greatest hope, that Norman would bring home medals from Vietnam, was satisfied. Norman won seven medals in Vietnam, including the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. He thinks about his father’s pride in those badges and then recalls how he almost won the Silver Star but blew his chance. He drives around the town again and again, flicks on the radio, orders a hamburger at the A&W, and imagines telling his father the story of the way he almost won the Silver Star, when the banks of the Song Tra Bong overflowed.

[@sofifithe1st20]

I realized this today when reading O'Brien's book, "The Things They Carried," with the chapter titled "Speaking of Courage" and "Notes." He discussed the story he had written before as well as how he changed it to fit within the book, highly suggest those interested in this song to read the story/chapters!!

[@beepbeepeddie8010]

wow

[@carmcakes1687]

I really needed this, thank you!

[@randafoote2341]

Wow. WOW. This song and Ben's voice and the piercing emotion both off of him and the music- this is stunning.

[@sarahchen8976]

i.... i think this is the first time i have ever heard benjamin fankhauser's head voice and my own two ears are SHOOK

[@blueberryghostz]

his expressions.......wow

[@carriegobreski870]

OMG I love how he puts so much emotion into EVERY PERFORMANCE he's such an angel and has such a godly voice💕💕i just love him so much!!!!

[@deathanglesdaught]

The story in this song is fantastic and his voice is so emotional and spectacular!

[@isabelladippel9649]

we just read the things they carried in my English class and I knew this sounded familiar-

[@annanemone3260]

This song is so freaking amazing i just sat still processing the lyrics and i realize it's telling some sort of story? It's beautiful and having Ben as the storyteller is amazing

[@lailag4621]

could you explain it for me bc i kinda get it but not really (im too enchanted by ben)

[@piperkingston3894]

Laila G It's based of a story by Tim O'Brien called "Speaking of Courage"

[@theteainpotato]

can this song PLEASE be available for purchase?? i listen to it all the time. it so good!!! really emotional and ben’s voice just sounds incredible!!

[@ffionbeynon4831]

Freaking love Ben

[@morgandehart1529]

I want this sheet music!!!!

[@nurysacevedogaete3830]

Hi... I love him

[@elias2729]

I know this video is old,, but uhm, I translated the lyrics for anyone who wants to sing along:
When you get back, and you’ve got time left on your hands
Guess you drive around the lake, tires grazing the borderlands of the shore that you wish, you were sure was in De Moine
Telling dad about the medals, all the medals you enjoyed.
And I’d say “I won them all, except for one, dad
Except for one. I won every single medal
Except for courage, dad, except that one.”
Drive over to Sally’s, where she’s out mowing the lawn; husband safe inside the house, she’s got a lazy red blouse on
And we’d stop, and we’d talk, and I brag and don’t say anything about medals of valor; about medals of courage
And she laughs, and we smile, and we sit for a while
But there’s no fireworks, no fireworks, around us
There’s no fireworks, no fireworks around us
Drive through a McDonalds, spending hours on the line,
telling stories through the speakers, some demented kind of shrine
And the voice says to cry, so you cry, and you think about those medals of valor; those medals of courage
And the voice says to pay, so you pay, and you leave
But there’s no fireworks, no fireworks around us
There’s no fireworks, no fireworks around us
And all they want’s your back, in a lake around the world, your friend is drowning
They go on drowning in a lake made of ships, and you try to pull him out, and flares go off and colors fly
And you reach to pull, and you give up, and flares go off.
And he dies, and he dies, and he dies, and he dies, and he
But there are fireworks, fireworks around us,
there are fireworks, fireworks around us.
When you get back, with more than time left on your hands, and your dad’s been dead for years
no one named Sally understands, so you drive around the lake, you were sure was in De Moine; not thinking about colors, or any medals anymore.

[@i.s.s.y7998]

Thanks for the lyrics! I think the (???) you put is "They go on"

[@elias2729]

I.s.s.y no problem!! And thank you

[@contemptation]

i know you might not see this considering this is three years old but it's lake full of shit, not ships! its part of the story this song is based on :-)

[@beepbeeplamb7937]

When you get back
And you’ve got time left on your hands
Guess you drive around the lake
Tires grazing the borderlands
Of the shore that you wish
You were sure was in De Moines
Telling dad about the medals
All the medals you enjoyed
And I’d say “I won them all
Except for one, dad
Except for one
I won every single medal
Except for courage, dad
Except that one.”
Drive over to Sally’s
Where she’s out mowing the lawn;
Husband safe inside the house
She’s got a lazy red blouse on
And we’d stop, and we’d talk
And I brag and don’t say anything about medals of valor;
About medals of courage
And she laughs, and we smile, and we sit for a while
But there’s no fireworks, no fireworks, around us
There’s no fireworks, no fireworks around us
Drive through a McDonalds
Spending hours on the line
Telling stories through the speakers
Some demented kind of shrine
And the voice says to cry, so you cry
And you think about those medals of valor;
Those medals of courage
And the voice says to pay
So you pay, and you leave
But there’s no fireworks, no fireworks around us
There’s no fireworks, no fireworks around us
And all at once you're back
In a lake around the world
Your friend is drowning
They go on drowning in a lake made of shit
And you try to pull him out, and flares go off and colors fly
And you reach to pull
And you give up, and flares go off
And he dies, and he dies, and he dies, and he dies, and he
But there are fireworks, fireworks around us
There are fireworks, fireworks around us
When you get back
With more than time left on your hands
And your dad’s been dead for years
No one named Sally understands
So you drive around the lake
You were sure was in De Moines;
Not thinking about colors, or any medals anymore

[@contemptation]

songs based off The Things They Carried are always my favorite songs, and this is no different. its a super good book (one of my favorites ive had to read for english) and i understand the lyrics so thats fun. ben's voice is also super good :-)

[@leah.p.6687]

When will this be avaliable on spotify???

[@ReaganWyatt]

Here's the summary for what the song is based on if anyone was wondering. www.sparknotes.com/lit/thingscarried/section14/

[@alexandraarnold6874]

Can someone explain this song to me?
Actually nevermind😅