Stewart Francke's album version
| Stewart Francke: | As I lay wounded in this wasteland |
| Summer soldier, a family man | |
| Back home it's springtime | |
| They're tying yellow ribbons in the sun | |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler, holler if you hear me |
| Holler, holler if you hear me | |
| Holler, holler, holler if you hear me | |
| Francke and Springsteen: | If you hear me |
| Stewart Francke: | I come from Warren down by Detroit |
| I joined the army, five times deployed | |
| I don't regret it, but I miss my boys | |
| Stewart Francke: | Oh, Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Francke and Springsteen: | Holler if you hear me |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Francke and Springsteen: | Holler if you hear me |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Francke and Springsteen: | Holler if you hear me |
| Stewart Francke: | We dream at night but never sleep |
| Bruce Springsteen: | For promises we never keep |
| Stewart Francke: | And seeds we sow, we never reap |
| When push comes to shove | |
| We're all fallin' short of God's love | |
| Francke and Springsteen: | Love love |
| Stewart Francke: | When that train arrives, and I can hear my title clear |
| We'll walk together | |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Yea brother we'll walk on outta here |
| Stewart Francke: | And we'll understand it all in the by and by |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Francke and Springsteen: | Holler if you hear me |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Francke and Springsteen: | Holler if you hear me |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Francke and Springsteen: | Holler if you hear me |
| Stewart Francke: | Come on! |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Francke and Springsteen: | Holler if you hear me |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Francke and Springsteen: | Holler if you hear me |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Stewart Francke: | Holler |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Holler |
| Francke and Springsteen: | Holler if you hear me |
| Stewart Francke: | If you hear me |
| Bruce Springsteen: | If you hear me |
| Stewart Francke: | If you hear me |
| Bruce Springsteen: | If you hear me |
| Stewart Francke: | As I lay dying in this wasteland |
SUMMER SOLDIER (HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME) is a song written by Detroit-based singer/songwriter Stewart Francke and released on his 2011 album Heartless World. The song is the album's single and opening track. It features a guest appearance by Bruce Springsteen who sings vocals along with Francke. The above lyrics are for Stewart Francke's album version of SUMMER SOLDIER (HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME) as released in 2011.
In November 2010, Stewart Francke had nearly finished recording the songs that will make up his upcoming album Heartless World. Being an independent artist, he funded the project from the general public through the Kickstarter website. The funding goal was $15,000, and by early January 2011, the project had successfully raised $17,185. According to Francke, "the money will be used to finish mixing and recording, create the artwork, manufacture the CD, and then take on the complex task of promoting it in this media-ized new world."
The album was released on Blue Boundary Records on 17 May 2011. It was produced by Stewart Francke and Bryan Reilly.
SUMMER SOLDIER (HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME) is a guitar jam, a rocker, with a call and response chorus. According to Francke, it was cut live at Harmonie Park in Detroit, MI, "the old school way — a bunch of great musicians all in one room playing together. No samples, no sequences, no auto-tuners." Francke wrote, "I showed 'em the song and got the hell out of the way." Francke sings vocals and plays acoustic guitars on this track, and is accompanied by Johnny Bee Badanjek on drums, Chuck Bartels on bass, Paul Warren on guitar, Bobby Murray on guitar, Jimmie Bones on piano and organ, Bryn Reilly on drums and percussion, and Bruce Springsteen on vocals.
When the album was first announced in November 2010, Francke wrote that "there are also a couple surprise guests that will knock you out." Springsteen was not mentioned then, neither in late December when Francke posted early lyrics (see below) and detailed information about the song on Kickstarter. It wasn't until early March 2011 when the official press release was issued that Springsteen's guest spot was revealed. This indicates that most probably Springsteen's contribution was confirmed and his vocals were recorded in January or February 2011.
"This is a tremendously generous thing for Bruce to do," Francke said, "and of course a real honor. It was always his voice I heard on the call and response part of this track, but figured it would remain just a wish. He found something in it compelling enough to join me, and I'm still a bit knocked out about it all. His involvement ups the ante on my entire career. He's been the quintessential artist of our time — the guy who wrote the book on this."
Copyrighted in 2010, the song was originally titled SUMMER SOLDIER, but was changed to SUMMER SOLDIER (HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME) in the official press release. In December 2011, Francke posted on Kickstarter lyrics to what appears an earlier or work-in-progress version of the song:
England's dreaming across the water
Summer soldiers, lambs to slaughter
Wives and daughters tying yellow ribbons in the sun
Holler, holler, holler if ya hear me
Tanks are rollin 'cross the oil plains
The Dallas Cowboys and Virgil Kane
The Grand Ol' Opry just ain't the same
Holler, holler, holler if ya hear me
We dream at night but never sleep
For promises we never keep
And seeds we sow but never reap
But when push comes to shove
It's killin' for the God up above
When that train arrives, and I can hear my title clear
We'll walk together, yea brother we'll walk on outta here
And we'll understand it all in the by and by
Holler, holler, holler if ya hear me
England's dreaming across the water
Summer soldiers, lambs to slaughter
SUMMER SOLDIER (HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME) is the album's first single. It debuted on 10 May 2011, streaming exclusively on People.com, though on that same date the complete Heartless World album started streaming on Francke's official website, Stewartfrancke.com.
Springsteen is a fan of Francke; he commented in 2006 that "Stewart Francke makes beautiful music". On 26 Sep 2009, Francke and his band performed at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, as part of the 2nd "Glory Days: A Bruce Springsteen Symposium".
As far as it's known, Bruce Springsteen has never performed SUMMER SOLDIER (HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME) live.
Thanks Marco, Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake), and Alf "Polifka" Weber (from Lost In The Flood) for the help.
If you have the any additions, comments, or corrections, please contact me via the below form or by email: .
List of available versions of SUMMER SOLDIER (HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME) on this website:
SUMMER SOLDIER (HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME) [Stewart Francke's album version]