I’ve been looking for some new blogs to read.

I normally come across fresh ones because of some new interest or enthusiasm, but once in while it’s a good idea to dredge through the unexpected and the unpredictable. That’s where Google’s ‘random blog’ button comes in handy. (Well, it does if you don’t mind gleaning through mountains of kitten photos, Spanish politics, spam sites and the like, hoping against hope to find something worth reading).

Anyway, to cut to the chase, I found this blog: My Summer Vacation, which has the rather splendid URL of warwillchangeawoman.blogspot.com.

Go and read it. The author, Liz, is in the United States Air Force. And the thing that caught my eye was this, her most recent post:

My sister and I were talking the other day/week, and she turned to me and said “you know, there’s no soundtrack for Iraq like there was for Vietnam.”

Sittin’ on the docks of the bay. We gotta get outta this place. What’s goin’ on, Fortunate son?

All those songs resonate with Vietnam era vets…but what resonates with Iraq vets? Did Soulja Boy resonate with veterans like it did with UW students during the homecoming parade? What brings back that flood of memories for vets that brings back that flood of memories for others in our generation?

Luckily, the only military experience I ever endured was as a schoolboy Royal Navy cadet. The soundtrack to that was more Joy Division than jolly boating songs. But when I think of Vietnam, I think of Apocalypse Now and songs like The Doors’ The End, The Rolling Stones’ (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction and, of course, The Ride of the Valkyries from Die Walküre.

Liz goes on to point out that the reason that there’s no soundtrack to the Iraq War is because, these days, it’s much easier to get hold of music - which means our tastes are rather more divergent than they used to be.

She’s got a point. But for the rest of us, I’m sure the soundtrack to the war will come along in a few years - it’ll just come pre-packaged as part of a film. If someone makes a good one.

I could be wrong of course: are there songs that really capture the spirit of the war?