Rod Picott, ‘Jeremiah’ [Exclusive Premiere]

There are many movies and stories about exuberant soldier homecomings, but "Jeremiah," a new song from Rod Picott, premiering exclusively on The Boot, tells a sad truth: Sometimes, life doesn't work that way.

The personal tune, about soldiers who don't get to come home, is a deeply relatable, blatantly honest and emotive track. Backed only by an acoustic guitar, Picott's voice shines. His gritty delivery is on point with the song's lyrics, which are poignant and shy away from any sugar coating or romanticism.

"The flowers are gone now / There's one left in the scrapbook / And the petals keep coming off," Picott sings. "I can't remember if I said I loved you / But that don't matter now."

The chorus of "Jeremiah" reflects on what happens when a soldier never completes his homecoming, and, though simple, the words of the song portray the pain and sorrow that that reality brings: "Sisters crying, dads can't speak / Girls like me sleep alone / A mother's work is never done / Soldiers don't come home."

"This one is personal," Picott tells The Boot. "I have two adopted sisters who came into our family when my brother and I were grown and gone. They came from a very difficult situation that splintered their family: Their blood brothers went off in different directions and to different homes; their oldest brother eventually found himself in the Army National Guard and was killed near Balad, Iraq, on March 29, 2004. Watching his young wife and baby, as well as my adopted sisters, go through losing him was crushing. This is that story.

"Somehow, we go on. How we do it, I don’t think anyone knows, but we’re never the same," Picott adds. "One minute, your life has a story, and in a flash, your story changes and will never return."

Picott, who was raised in the Northeast, has lived in Nashville since 1994. He released his last album, Hang Your Hopes on a Crooked Nail, in 2014. His new album, Fortune -- which explores his sometimes-messy family and failed relationships -- is available through Amazon and iTunes.

Listen to Rod Picott, "Jeremiah":

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