And here is a link to a youtube video of the song Before you Go
Before You Go by John MelNick
(submitted by Lew Pringle, a proud member of the Pringle family)
Early in 2006, Dr. Lewis Pringle from Liberty Indiana contacted me. In the exchange of emails that followed, Dr. Pringle provided valuable insight into the history of the Pringle family, tracing them back to the lowlands of Scotland in the 1600's. On March 10, 2008 Dr Pringle contacted me again, this time with a link to an awesome musical tribute to WWII Veterans written by Dr. Sam Bierstock (“Dr. Sam”) and John Melnick (off site link) Deeply moved by this powerful presentation, I quickly added it to the USS Pringle website and circulated an email to everyone on our mailing list. Immediately I started receiving very emotional responses so I decided to sent the creators a note expressing our gratitude. Everyone should read their reply:
Thank you so much for your note. We are pleased and gratified that our recording has meaning to you - and that we have the opportunity to express our gratitude. We use the note below in our email campaign to spread the word about the song. Please feel free to copy it and send it on to anyone you'd like to forward it to.
Both Dr. Sam and John Melnick are asking people who want to share the song and presentation to do so via the internet link you have. It is not available in downloadable format at this time. However, they are very anxious to get their message out as far and widely as possible so please share the link with whoever you would like - and even the local radio and TV media sources if you would like,. Many people have done that, and we are grateful to them for helping us to get this message out to every surviving veteran of WW2, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, their families and descendants.
“Before You Go”, CDs, & DVDs can now be ordered at www.beforeyougo.us – please follow the links to ordering "Before You Go". The CD and DVD each contain 2 tracks – one with the full vocal version of the song, and one which is instrumental only for sing-along . If the CD is played on a computer, the pictorial will show for each track. The pictorial accompanies both tracks on the DVD. We thank you again for your note and for your support.
Dear Jim,
As you might imagine, we receive many hundreds of emails in response to “Before You Go”, with as many as 30,000 people per day on our website, and with the song being played 230,000 times just last week alone. It is virtually impossible for me to respond each of the emails that we receive, although I read all of them. We are often forced to resort to the auto response you will see below. I wanted to be certain however to respond to yours personally. It is my honor to have been able to have this message of thanks reach those, such as yourself and your crewmates, to whom our nation owes everything that we have, and all of the freedoms that we enjoy. From the beginning, I have been determined to have “Before You Go” become a means by which it is assured that your generation’s contribution to our country and our way of life is never forgotten. To receive a note on behalf of the surviving members of the USS Pringle is a profound honor, and I am very grateful to you for having taken the time to write, and for helping us spread our message of thanks. I would like you and your crewmates and their families to know that “Before You Go” is being played in schools all over the country in conjunction with history classes – and we frequently receive letters from teachers who tell us that their students often describe how it has changed the way they view their grandparents and great-grandparents, who they now view with renewed respect and appreciation. Our single biggest frustration has been our failure to engage the national television media in our quest to have our song reach each and every member of your generation and their families. But we take great pride and feel very honored to know that we have reached more than15 million people. We will continue to do our best to be sure that your generation knows that your sacrifices on our behalf and on behalf of our freedoms will never be forgotten. I would be very pleased if you would share this note with your fellow crewmen and their families. With best wishes, Dr. Sam
Before You Go