Article #2 - Sixth Series - September 11th, 2023 by Fr. Ben Daghir

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Article #2 -  Sixth Series - September 11th,  2023 by Fr. Ben Daghir

Article:
I remember a friend of mine (who played four years of high school football) once said, “I can’t listen to that song without crying.” He was referring to the song “The Boys of Fall” by Kenny Chesney. The words struck a chord with my friend who is probably one of the last people that I would expect to see cry over a song. 

So, what is it about this football song that opens up the heart of my friend along with other football players? I would argue that it reflects the core of a football team: forget about oneself and think about the team. 

The lyrics of the song (unlike so many boring songs today) has nothing to do with the individual but rather everything to do with the team. Consider these lyrics: “standing in the huddle listening to the call, fans going crazy for the boys of fall” and “they didn’t let just anybody in that club, took every ounce of heart and sweat and blood” and “it’s knocking heads and talking trash, it’s slinging mud and dirt and grass. It’s I got your number, I got your back when your back’s against the wall” and, lastly, “You mess with one man, you got us all…the boys of fall.”

A popular song that doesn’t have to do with one’s ego…thank God!

I think the philosopher, Aristotle, can provide us with some insights into this song. Aristotle wrote about happiness and friendship in his magnificent work The Nicomachean Ethics. Aristotle’s treatise seeks to answer how a human being can live a happy life. Of course, a commitment to others is essential to this process. 

Aristotle indicates that “the happy life” demands one’s entire being: his thoughts, words, actions, habits, and character. Chesney hits this chord when he sings, “They didn't let just anybody in that club, took every ounce of heart and sweat and blood.” The team demands one’s thoughts, words, actions, habits, and character. 

Aristotle also mentions “to be happy a human needs virtuous friends.” Again, Chesney follows suit when he sings “It's I got your number, I got your back when your back's against the wall. You mess with one man, you got us all.” The song is promoting the sacrifice of teammates who drop their egos, wants, and needs for the benefit of the team. In other words, it’s all about virtuous friendship. 

Happiness is paradoxical. One’s happiness increases precisely in the measure that one’s ego decreases. We see this principle in philosophy, the Bible, and Chesney’s song. In Aristotle’s language happiness is in accord with virtue directed toward others. In Biblical code it is translated as “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30) and “I no longer live, Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). In Chesney’s lyrics happiness is “It’s I got your number, I got your back when your back’s against the wall. You mess with one man, you got us all…the boys of fall.” Again, happiness increases in the measure that one’s selfishness decreases. 

Notice, Chesney’s song never mentions an individual’s name. Instead, the individual finds himself in the midst of the “Boys of Fall.” Happiness is found precisely at the moment we forget about ourselves. My friend forgets about himself when he hears this song and he thinks about his teammates as he sheds a tear. Thus, he grows in happiness. 
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Fr. Ben Daghir is a priest for the Diocese of Erie. He is a graduate of Elk County Catholic High School in Saint Marys, Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, and St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He considers writing one of his favorite hobbies.