America: Sandman Meaning

Song Released: 1972

Sandman Lyrics

Ain't it foggy outside
All the planes have been grounded
Ain't the fire inside?
Let's all go stand around it
Funny, I've been there
And you've been here
And we ain't had no time to drink that beer

'Cause I understand you've been running...

1. anonymous

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   Jul 21st 2017 !⃝

   The story as it was told to me was: The lyrics were written by a Security Police Officer, in the QRA at RAF Lakenheath,Suffolk, United Kingdom. Speaking from personal experience, sitting on an aircraft, in the Quick Reaction Area, during a midshift is one of the hardest things I have ever done... Lord knows it foggy in England, and when you can barely see your aircraft, it is a freaky feeling... Trying to stay awake from 2300 to 0700 was a beast of a chore. Falling asleep on post was the worst thing that could happen to you... If the Sandman caught you, your career was over... The person was obviously enlisted, therefore not a pilot... But I heard that story in 1985 at RAF Lakenheath, so who knows? Hooah!
2. anonymous

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   Nov 21st 2015 !⃝

   Sandman or Uncle Sam. Aircraft Maintainers that worked at victor alert or hurricane that's been abandoned. At either RAF Upper Heyford or Lackenheath in the UK.
3. anonymous

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   Oct 28th 2015 !⃝

   I always assumed it was a soldier returning from Vietnam and having trouble sleeping due to his memories of the war. He met up with an old buddy. (I've been here) at home....you've been there (Vietnam).....
   Then he tells his friend he had enlisted in the army.
   
   That's just my take on a great song
4. anonymous

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   Aug 23rd 2015 !⃝

   I think the previous entry is close. I believe that yes, the song is about two long time friends (pilots) meeting after a long time. However the character "singing" is the Sandman. All pilots have a call sign and the first friend to join/become a pilot hears that someone named the Sandman is after him. And hearing about the Sandman's reputation, he tries to stay a head of him. But the Sandman is actually his buddy that inlisted after the first friend and is looked to find his buddy to "enjoy that beer."
5. anonymous

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   Jun 15th 2014 !⃝

   For me, Sand Man has always been associated with the book "Sand in the Wind" by Robert Roth. In this Vietnam era book the Sand Man was someone who put you to sleep(dead).
6. anonymous

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   Mar 22nd 2013 !⃝

   Pretty much my same interpretation I first heard this song when I was really young from a cd my father had borrowed from an retired sr17 blackbird pilot who was my fathers friend. I always felt it had to do with some type of pilots and of course the Vietnam war due to the period the song was written in. I figured it had to do with 2 friends or a father and son the son is off fighting in the war or just after the war flying covert recon missions and sandman is a call sign that has been given to one of the ace enemy pilots this guy is afraid of running into.
7. anonymous

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   Mar 25th 2012 !⃝

   The characters in this song are two friends who work as civilian contractors for the CIA, or some other quasi-military organization.
   
   They are probably pilots or mechanics flying covert missions is and around Vietnam. (Vietnam is "a hurricane that's abandoned," i.e., the American government has withdrawn, but covert operations (perhaps drug smuggling) continues.
   
   "The Sandman" is an operative (probably a higher-up). One of the characters has done something -- possibly defected -- that has caused the Sandman to come after him, either to arrest or kill him.
   
   Hence "he (the Sandman) flies the sky like an eagle (he's American) in the eye of a hurricane that's abandoned.
   
   At song's end one of the characters (the "good American/ good soldier, so to speak) meets briefly with his on-the-run buddy and mentions that he (the good soldier) has enlisted into the Amry/Air Force proper.

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