Dress Blues

This track comes from Aaron's military service — Air Force enlisted, Army Infantry officer, DoD civilian at SPAWAR/NIWC. It tackles The dress blue uniform - putting it on, what it represents, the weight of it, the last time you wore it, and finding it in the closet years later. The lyrics get specific — "Found them in the back of the closet behind the Hawaiian shirts" — because personal tracks on Majik's are personal for real, not performatively. The rock production matches the energy of the confession. It hits proud and emotional, in that order. Every personal track in the catalogue comes from a real moment, a real feeling, a real person. This one is no exception.

[verse 1] Found them in the back of the closet behind the Hawaiian shirts Dress blues, pressed and covered, still sharp enough to hurt The memories that come flooding when you touch the fabric line Of a uniform that used to be a second skin of mine I hold them up against me, check the fit like I used to Before every inspection, every ceremony, every review They're smaller now, or I'm bigger, either way the truth Is the man who wore these blues is still here, just less youth More mileage on the frame but the heart's still Navy-grade Dress blues never fully retire, they just fade [chorus] Dress blues hanging in the quiet dark Holding every memory, every mark Of a life in service, standing at attention Dress blues, more than fabric, more than mention Of a rank or rate, they're the story of a soul Who gave the best years, and they made him whole Dress blues [verse 2] I remember the first time I put them on, everything clicked The neckerchief tied perfect, the cover sitting strict Looked in the mirror and saw something different looking back Not a kid anymore, something stronger on this track The crackerjacks, they called them, and they fit like purpose fits When you finally find it, every piece of it just sits Exactly where it should, and the world makes sense For the first time since forever, in the present tense I was somebody, I belonged to something bigger Dress blues made the mirror show a different figure [chorus] Dress blues hanging in the quiet dark Holding every memory, every mark Of a life in service, standing at attention Dress blues, more than fabric, more than mention Of a rank or rate, they're the story of a soul Who gave the best years, and they made him whole Dress blues [bridge] The ribbons tell a story if you know how to read them Each one a chapter, and I lived through each of them The deployments, the commendations, the quiet acts That nobody photographed but the chest retracts With pride when I look at what they represent Time given, time served, time well spent In the service of something that I still believe in Even though the uniform stays on the hanger this evening [verse 3] So I hang them back up, straighten the shoulders on the hanger Make sure the creases are still sharp, old habits, no danger Of forgetting what they mean, what they cost, what they gave To the man who wears Hawaiian shirts now and rides the wave In Charleston, building tech things that the Navy boy would marvel at But he'd recognize the discipline, the bearing, and the combat Readiness that never left, just changed its uniform From dress blues to a polo shirt, different form Same sailor, same commitment, same heart underneath The dress blues rest in the closet, I rest in Folly Beach But we're still connected, still shipmates in a way The uniform and the man it made, forever linked, I'd say [chorus] Dress blues hanging in the quiet dark Holding every memory, every mark Of a life in service, standing at attention Dress blues, more than fabric, more than mention Of a rank or rate, they're the story of a soul Who gave the best years, and they made him whole Dress blues [outro] Standing at attention One last time For every sailor who ever wore the blue This one's for you