A pilot going into battle for the first time muses on the experience in song.
Committed and passionate singer songwriter of new songs from traditional inspiration
Berni is a singer songwriter of passionate and committed songs.
Story behind the song
For today's combat pilot from a Western Country, there must be a tendency to see it all as a huge extension of a video game. This song, inspired by a report on CNN during the first Iraq War in 1991, shows a young pilot slowly realising that war is for real.
Lyrics
Baptism of Fire
I thought I would feel different now than I do.
It still feels like a practice run,
Seven birds of steel in formation at Mach One.
Radio silence maintained, we're instrument flying.
The stars are hiding their fires tonight,
And from the desert below not a glimmer of candlelight.
We're closing in on target - Our objective will be seen,
In the glow of the screen before me.
All systems showing green.
Blinding flash to my left - We're in for some flak.
Tracers spit their dotted lines of death,
Straight into the path of our attack.
Keeping a cool head, I'm making my run,
The guidance system is locked on,
Another second and my job is done....
Why is she shaking? Why's she not responding to controls?
I press to eject - bail out - Lord have mercy on our souls.
I'm floating - While below me the flash turns night to day.
I'm floating - Into that firework display.
I thought I would feel different now than I do,
It wasn't like this on the practice runs,
Six birds of steel returning -
One is gone.
