PATRIOTIC POP: Biographical account of the U.S. Army service record of Sargeant First Class Stanley Drayton
Contemporary Christian
Bruce Allen Shatkun - guitars, bass, keyboards, lead & backing vocals
Tony Scialabba - drums
Stu Benjamin - Slide guitar on Co-Pilot and God's Power
Linda Sanner - lead vocals on My Hope Is In You and O' Lamb Of God
Story behind the song
I met Sargeant Stanley Drayton at the church my wife and I attended. He was always in good spirits and he always has an encouraging word.
In January of 2011 Sgt. Drayton will mark his 80th birthday, though you would never know it from his appearance. He is in excellent physical condition and he really loves life to the fullest.
His wife Carol, a retired schoolteacher, is his loving partner and helper.
One day the Sargeant relayed to me that his daughter called him a hero,
because of his many great years of service in the United States Army.
He then replied, "I'm Nobody's Hero". In spite of his humble remark about his not being a hero, I agreed with his daughter that he was one.
That's because I know of the many great heroic, courageous and outstanding things the Sargeant has done while serving his country.
He paved the way and broke new ground for African-Americans by becoming one of the first 3 African-American Army Divers. Everytime he entered deep waters handling high explosives he put his life on the line.
Until that time, African-American soldiers were given menial jobs to do.
In addition to his being a Master Diver, Sargeant Drayton is a retired Paratrooper and Multi-Engine Engineer. He has served in occupied
Germany, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and all over the world.
In fact, he once held the European Army Middleweight Boxing Title and he remains a Black Belt in Karate to this day. After the Vietnam War ended, Sargeant Drayton returned to his native Harlem in New York City.
There he was appointed Commander of the Armed Services Recruiting
Office in Harlem. The Sargeant helped many young men get off the streets and serve their country instead. In the armed forces they would receive training, education and maybe most importantly, DISCIPLINE.
It is impossible to measure the effect that Sargeant Drayton had on the lives of these young men that he recruited, as well as the lives of their families. He would actually go out on the streets of Harlem and invite them to seek a better life and serve their country. What a hero he is!
I can only hope that this song, "Nobody's Hero", will be heard by many.
Lyrics
CHORUS
He said,"I'm nobody's hero", nobody's hero
I'm nobody's hero, but he's somebody's hero to me
He said, "I'm nobody's hero", nobody's hero
I'm nobody's hero, but he's somebody's hero to me
VERSE 1
Tired of waiting, barely seventeen
Heading to the German shore
Occupying, dressed in Army green
Rebuild remnants from The War
Rebuild remnants from The War
VERSE 2
Blood is flowing, deeper than a well
Shivering from Korea's cold
Bombs are bursting, along The Parallel
Cost of freedom can't be told
Cost of freedom can't be told
CHORUS
VERSE 3
Battle's raging, now it's Vietnam
Diving down to depths unknown
Demolition, salvage is the plan
See the courage that he's shown
All the courage that he's shown
VERSE 4
He's a soldier, on land, air and sea
Paratrooper, engineer
He's a hero, he fights for you and me
Serves his country without fear
Serves his country with no fear
CHORUS
plus
ENDING - Yes, he's somebody's hero to me
Yeah, he's somebody's hero to me
He's always a hero to me
