The first thing that comes to mind with this song is that it’s certainly going to touch the hearts of fans and critics alike – based on the “Soldiers & Jesus” song title alone. Written by James Otto with Chris Wallin, the song works to compare the plight of the soldiers and the sacrifices they do with that of the son of God.
Featuring a passionate and emotive vocal from Otto, “Soldiers & Jesus” is the kind of show-stopping tune that any artist would give their right leg for. The lyrics may not be as sharp and concise as some would like them to be but then again, James Otto is shooting from the heart here. Born into a family that was called to serve for the government and the citizens, James Otto is speaking from experience on “Soldiers & Jesus.” James himself even served in the Navy. And while he does touch on politics on the song (“There’s a left side, a right side and then there’s the truth”) he really wants to keep the focus on the sacrifices that soldiers make every day, just like Jesus did.
The melody and production never gets in the way of James Otto or the lyrics and it’s simply one of the ‘nicest sounding’ and ‘most country’ singles currently aiming for mainstream radio airplay. With the passionate vocal and lyrics that most people in the country music audience can relate to, “Soldiers & Jesus” feels like a song that is very much on its way to helping James Otto become a bigger, more household name.
With that being said, there are fans who listen to country music who may not want to hear another song about either soldiers or Jesus and that might keep “Soldiers & Jesus” being the big hit it should be. Country music needs artists like James Otto, artists who are unafraid to wear their heart on their sleeve, artists unafraid to be who they are (and those who are allowed to be who they are). “Soldiers & Jesus” may end up being ‘only’ a Top 40 or Top 30 hit like many of James Otto’s previous singles outside of “Just Got Started Loving You” were but that doesn’t mean it won’t be a #1 hit in the hearts and minds of the familes of soldiers and soldiers that James is singing about here. And if it only becomes a hit in that sense, the song did its job.
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If you’re interested in picking up a copy of James Otto’s new album Shake What God Gave Ya you can visit his website where he’s offering an impressive pre-order collection that includes the album, an autographed show print (poster), tote bag, can koozie, exclusive T-Shirt and an exclusive Video Chat with fans. Click the image below to get the pre-order.
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