With today (Oct. 28) being First Responder’s Day, George Strait is honoring the men and women who put their lives on the line to help others by sharing a powerful new video for “The Weight of the Badge.”
Videos by American Songwriter
“You know the weight of the badge because it’s really not that heavy until you put it on. And then for those guys, it’s got to be incredibly heavy,” George says at the close of the video discussing the song.
The new video kicks off with officers raising the American flag as one of the police officers speaks about the sacrifices of the job. “You have people that are going out and doing a job to defend their communities and you know in the back of the mind of everyone one of those officers, one of them may not be going home. I have seen throughout my career, I have seen it here locally, where a police officer didn’t go home. They kissed their loved ones goodbye and that was the last time they saw them. Sometimes I don’t think we realize,” the officer continues, choking back tears, “the impact that this job has had on our families, let alone ourselves. That’s a heavy weight, that’s a heavy weight of the badge.”
It’s gonna be a long one, another graveyard shift / As he says goodbye to his wife and kids / It’s been his life, just like his dad’s / Driving away under the weight of the badge, Strait sings to open the song as various first responders are highlighted throughout.
“The men and women in this music video are our friends and neighbors who carry the weight of the badge each day,” says Strait. “Thank you. We appreciate you and the sacrifices you and your families make.”
Written by Strait, Bubba Strait, and Dean Dillon, “The Weight of This Badge” sheds a light on the lives, emotions, and passion of first responders as they share their stories.
He swore that oath to protect and serve /Pours his heart and soul into both those words / Lays his life on the line / And the line he walks is razor fine / Tempered strength is always tough / But he ain’t gonna buckle under the weight of the badge, Strait sings.
As the video concludes, one of the featured first responders offers a gift to Strait as a thank you for writing this song. “One of my collar honors that came off one of my original uniforms and I would like to have George Strait have that as a token of my thank you for doing this song ‘The Weight of the Badge,’ he says. “Also a miniature replica of my badge that like, I said, it’s small but it’s heavy.”
The video made its premiere Wednesday night (Oct. 27) at the First Responders Children’s Foundation 20th anniversary gala in New York City with several of the first responders featured in the video in attendance.
In addition, the site TheWeightOfTheBadge.com is being launched in conjunction with the video to invite people to share their stories and gratitude for the first responders in their lives.
Check out Strait’s powerful video for “The Weight of the Badge” below.
