Spinning Pages (7): Four-Four-Two/Goodnight Saigon

Oftentimes, while I'm reading a song will pop into my head because the book makes me think of it; sometimes the reverse happens and a random song will make me think of a book I have read. Spinning Pages is a combination of my love for books and music. More often than not, inspiration for these posts strikes while I have music thumping in my ears while exercising (kind of like how this feature came to be). 

From the moment I finished reading Dean Hughes' Four-Four-Two, I knew that this would be the song I would use for it. While the song may be about the Vietnam War, I feel that it is also a good fit for this book as the song kept popping into my head as I was reading.

Goodnight Saigon by Billy Joel (written and song); also covered by Garth Brooks-

We met as soulmates
On Parris Inland
We left as inmates
From an asylum
And we were sharp
As sharp as knives
And we were so gung
ho to lay down our lives

We came in spastic
Like tameless horses
We left in plastic
As numbered corpses
And we learned fast
To travel light
Our arms were heavy
but our bellies were tight

And it was dark
So dark at night
And we held onto each other
Like brother to brother
We promised our mothers we'd write

And we would all go down together
We said we'd all go down together
Yes we would all go down together

So many of the lyrics reminded me of the characters; especially how eager they were when they first enlisted. You know since they really did not know what exactly it was that they had signed up for. There were also, as you'll see, the lines that spoke of the strong friendships that were forged among the soldiers who fought together. These were the lyrics from Billy Joel's Goodnight Saigon that came into my mind as I was reading Four-Four-Two by Dean Hughes. 

Do you need further convincing on why you should give Dean Hughes' Four-Four-Two a chance, then check out my review and see why I think you should read it. 

Just a warning, the song may give you the chills (or if you're like my sister, make you teary).

You can watch the official video of Billy Joel's Goodnight Saigon below.