Military Wife: the short story

When establishing the AMWChoir, my friend and co-founder, Sarah, asked me to write a signature song—a song that would resonate with this group of women.  I laughed and said, 'Sure, I'll write a signature song,' wondering where I would make the time.  This friend knew that once she had planted the seed, it would not leave me alone.

While working out what we wanted women to experience as they sang together, I asked Sarah to give me the first five words that came to mind, which described her experience as a 'military wife'.  She gave me five words.  I reflected on how it would be interesting to know what the other members of the choir's five words might be and suggested we ask.   'Why do you want these words—is this for the song?'  I smiled and said, 'Maybe.'  We received responses from all the women and  some had a lot more than five words!

I took their words, the words you hear in the song, and added personal experiences that  sing to the hearts of women who walk the path of a military 'wife' - a woman connected to actively serving and deployed defence personnel. The song seems to strike a familiar chord.

About using the word "wife"? The origins of the word are simply 'woman'.  It concisely describes the demographics of the choir.  The list of alternative choir names was endless and exhausting - yes exhausting - by the time you got to the end of, "The Women Who are Connected to Currently Serving Members of the Military Choir," you are exhausted. That along with finding rhyming verse to go with alternative words like "spouse," or "partner,": house, mouse, louse, grouse... I think you get the picture.  

(I did write a ‘spouse’ alternative verse once. It went like this:

She’s a military spouse, she’s locked outside her house

and doesn't have a,

spare key.

She’s a military spouse, she’s frightened by a mouse

and jumps up on the red,

settee …

I meet and lead groups of strong, brilliant women, help them learn new music,  become excellent at it, feel stronger as a result, and occasionally sing it for other people. What a privilege.

To listen to the song click here.

To read Military Wife: the extended version click here.

To get recordings or sheet music click here.

To learn more about the AMWChoir please visit the choir's website at http://www.amwchoir.com.