Dispatch - "The General" (Official Audio) 

I had a camp counselor in middle school who sang this to us when we were going to sleep. Forever changed my life.

This is such a real song. It's a good reminder we always have a choice even when it seems like we don't.

This was my best friend and i's favorite song. We were two different people but this was where we drew the line that we each would hold. He passed away 3 years ago and every time I hear this, I just wish he could be here with me singing. You brought me closer to him than anything and I hope you can cherish how happy it made us because I would gladly trade my life to listen to this one more time with him

My best friend and I discover this song many many yeras ago. It began a love for this band that both of us would carry for all of our time. Even flying halfway across the country when the band reformed to see them live. . . He passed away from cancer recently, his family asked me to play a song at his funeral, they gave me choice of song saying "you know what he loved and would've wanted." This is the song I have chosen the story of a man who was willing to brave it alone and not burden anyone with his troubles. But his friends and family stayed with him and were by his side until the end. Nothing but acceptance and gratitude from him, realizing he was loved by all. Rest in Peace my friend you were our general. Dispatch you made our lives a little brighter with this masterpiece

On the bus to mock trials, this is the only song our team captain would play.

The only thing i don’t like about this song is that i cant sing it without getting choked up. Gives me goosebumps every single time. Crazy.

Camp Takatoka anyone? Staff member 2018 and 2019! This is a song that we sing at every last night campfire and it's one of the campers and staff's favorite things we do during the week.

The fact that you type in "the general" in the search bar and this isn't the first thing is a sham

We saw you in Philly 2024, it was screaming hot but amazing with Philly Pops.❤️❤️❤️

college memories man. this song kills me every time

My son's kindergarten class sings this song and, goddamnit, if I don't cry every time.

So many years later and this song still feels good to hear :)

This is moving to me as a non-service member. I can only imagine...Nearly 25 year old song, just hearing it. Good stuff

A friend introduced me to this song at uni in about 2006. Still sticks in my mind to this day

Listened to this every day for months and months after I came home from Iraq and was trying to get my head straight.

Saw them in Forest Hills a few years back it was awesome

this is a wise, very wise song. thank you dispatch.

There was a decorated General with a heart of gold That likened him to all the stories he told Of past battles won and lost And legends of old A seasoned veteran in his own time On the battlefield he gained respectful fame With many medals of bravery and stripes to his name He grew a beard as soon as he could to cover the scars on his face And always urged his men on But on the eve of a great battle with the infantry in dream The Old General tossed in his sleep and wrestled with its meaning He awoke from the night to tell what he had seen And walked slowly out of his tent All the men held tall with their chests in the air With the courage in their blood and a fire in their stare And it was a gray morning and they all wondered how they would fare Till the old general told them to go home He said, "I have seen the others And I have discovered That this fight is not worth fighting And I've seen their mothers And I will no other to follow me where I'm going So Take a shower and shine your shoes You got no time to lose You are young men you must be living Take a shower and shine your shoes You got no time to lose You are young men you must be living Go now you are forgiven" But the men stood fast with their guns on their shoulders Not knowing what to do with the contradicting orders The General said he would do his own duty but he would extend it no further The men can go as they pleased But not a man moved their eyes gazed straight ahead Till one by one they stepped back and not a word was said And the old general was left with his own words echoing in his head He then prepared to fight He said, "I have seen the others And I have discovered That this fight is not worth fighting No, And I've seen their mothers And I will no other to follow me where I'm going So take a shower and shine your shoes You got no time to lose You are young men you must be living Take a shower and shine your shoes You got no time to lose You are young men you must be living Go now you are forgiven" Go now you are forgiven Go now you are forgiven Go now you are forgiven, go Go now you are forgiven Go now you are forgiven Go now you are forgiven Go ooo oooooooo Go now you are forgiven Go now you are forgiven Go now you got to be, Got to be, got to be, got to be, Got to be yeaaaaa

Love the pictures

For some reason I just can't listen to this song without crying

I listened to this for the first time when I was in high school, class of 06. It was during my hippy jam band phase. While I’ve grown out of that music, coming back to this after all those long years, it’s still such a great song.

Can't believe I just stumbled upon this song. Happened to come on randomly on my Prime Music. Wow. Strong song. Love it.

One of the best songs ever.

I first heard this song played at the summer camp that I attended all throughout childhood and I just re-discovered the studio version. This song is truly incredible and unbelievably good

With an impending war in Eastern Europe, my thoughts wandered to this song. May those Russian soldiers come to a similar realization as this song and may peace follow soon after.

Song of my teenager years. Goosebumps every time.

one of the best song

Any portion of the lyrics of this song slaps. And is so relatable to basically anyone listening.

It's a passive aggressive way to say that the "fight is not worth fighting" and I feel that it is the best antiwar song ever written. " Go now you are forgiven" fueled a lot of discussions around the campfire. Xoxoxo amy

This song is amazing! I’m so glad I came across it years ago. Still listen to it often

I haven't heard this song in a while so im happy i got to listen to it

Found this song for the first time in 2020. Such a good song, and it sounds fresh, like it could have been written this year.

Love this song. And the rest of the Bang Bang album

Fantastic song. Fantastic band.💕🌝

It’s my birthday, I always love coming back to this song

Is Dispatch the OG viral band? They got popular through Napster, Kazaa, etc. Though, the first I ever heard of them was at summer camp, and also in my youth group, during the school year. Such a strange phenomenon. Maybe it's because sleepaway camp is such a big cultural thing on the East Coast, especially in the Northeast and New England, where Dispatch is from.

This song is literally life changing I thank my best friend/Twitch streamer Topherleon

I just asked my mother what kind of music she likes. She said “i like music in general”. So I googled “general” and found this song. I was originally kidding but without her I wouldn’t have found this great song.

Every time I hear this I think of my summer camp and it makes me hella cry. Atm with corona idk if it is happening this summer and I am in tears

Great song! You can tell the writer was a fan of Jimi Hendrix, there are so many similarities between this and Castles Made of Sand-the lyrical cadence as well as certain guitar phrases. It’s a beautiful homage

My mom put this on once now I love it

my favorite song

God this song has been stuck in my head for weeks... dunno WHY, but, in grareful. Because now I'm having high school nostalgia (of the good times, that is? Like.... going to shows JUST to see the opening band & leaving before the "headliners" are even set up, or getting to see your favorite "international" aka Australian band, The Living End, at a friggin' Seattle bar, first come first serve, with a max building capacity of just 200ppl& having to pay less than price for PARKING 1/2 mile away to be able to see your favorite band of all time at your beloved "Before it became too Emo & trendy & scene-kid, hipsters-R-us with its new name, owners and... and... *siiighhhh* CLEANLINESS where your shoes DIDN'T give u a small, begrudging "awww, but do i HAVE TOOOOO?!" sort of argunent before leaving the ground with every single step you took across the floor infront of the stage, covered with its decades of Hell only KNOWS what kind of radioactive concoction before heading to that whorehouse-painted red & black 🥠? *Honestly, the little signs with the decapitated persons of the "male/female gender solely based on the triangular shape vs 2 sticks ob the start of the lower half🚹🚺🚻 yeah u know what im talking about.... whys AREN'T theie heads attached!? And if theyre gonna be all "this is FEMALE cuz its gotta DRESS ON!" stereotypical, couldn't they have maybe give 'her' long hair instead/also?! This.... is an entirely different tirade ill just nip in the bud here and now... All i remember was there NOT being any real "sign" telling u that it was, in fact, the "LADIES" restroom... but, hey, you were LUCKY if you got a stall with either A) a door with some sort of very recently jury-rigged setup to '"lock' it or b) had a fenale friend or complete stranger who was kindly enough to ro the "ill hold/guard it for u it u will for me?" thing... other wise? Welp. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go?! But, the door INTO that damn hideous red & black bathroom also never, EVER closed since the hinges had broken on it ever since I WAS so graciously inducted to the shining pile of sticky sh** in the heart of downtown Seattle formely and only RIGHTFULLY, even if only FORMERLY, ever known as "The Graceland." Not....❤ El Corazon🤮 or whatever in hell's name it's called THESE days, if it still stands even... but, considering that place was the concrete & chewing gum equivalent of the cockroach; i imagine it simply MUST!? .....mmmyeahhh. Thats where i went with my older bro & saw/was introduced to these guys & THIS song for the first time.. ahh, Memories. I dont know who else here will even SEE THIS at the bottom of my nostalgic novella here or, of those 3 people, if any of them will so much as half a clue who or what im referring to here but... oh well? This song has a timess, soothing, unique beyond anything you ever hear in anything "Punk rock/alternative/independent-esque circa the first decade or so of the 21st century"?(if that description works? Im going with it, sorry?) VERY MUCH akin to- for myself, anyways- as Tiger Army's "In The Orchard." They dont sound "Alike," really at all... but one always reminds me of the other. Havunf said that, crapPPPP. NOW im gonna have to alternate playing THIS with THAT on repeat for the next 12 days. FaUCK!!!!!

So true! Even today!

i love this song 😀

A classic

❤❤❤

I have waited so long to see you. I sang this to my babies to put them to sleep.

summer camp morning vibes

My grandfather, during WWII, shot a Colonel in the head. The Colonel was trying to mount a counter offensive to German armor, using cavalry and hand grenades. The reason he did so was because the Colonel was shooting potential deserters in the head, he shot him from a distance, as he was an anti-armor sniper (disable the armor by shooting the driver through his viewing slot.) ...had he not, the men the Colonel had not shot, would have been cut down in their charge. My grandfather was not German, he was conscripted into the Polish army as a non-national (this was during the blitzkrieg.) I honestly believe that this song played a part in the reason why I left the army demurring training when I found out what my life expectancy was in a combat situation and, thus, one of the reasons I have the family I have now. Thank you.

GO NOW YOU ARE FORGIVEN❤

After listening to later live versions this one feels so subdued now!

This is in the running for greatest anti-war song of all time.

Best! 👍🏻👍🏻

Lets go with nevada governor HO MAINZ MEN,$!

Hooooooooovie ❤️simpler times.

I would like to examine the meaning of this song, been a fan of this band for about 14 years. The songs make me so happy it’s like a guilty pleasure. I had my picture taken with chad once! Hope I get around to it someday.

These dudes played the Scarsdale teen center in 2000. This song still slaps.

Even RU-vid has respect for this song. AD FREE

This song means much different things with age.

war is never worth it... you have one life, why spend it fighting over ego? enjoy your life friends, drink beer, ride bikes, sail the ocean, enjoy the reality that you have, think think think do not waste your life as a puppet in some meaningless war live free and explore!

Ever since Adventure Time, this song has given me Marceline vibes.

We are Richards BaldWINS paul+sons ... never Forget☆

I dont have anything nearly as dramatic as the others, but back around 2012, i found soundcloud and this band, i was 10 at the time, i used to tie my dog to my razor scooter and have him pull me all around the neighborhood to songs like this, bang bang, railway, all those

while i can't commend this song based on the rhythm, i will say that it's one of the most important songs a child can hear and study.

He,s gone deeper than Section 8 Joe hey

BEST SHOWER SONG.

Good stuff 👍

This song might as well be 3000 years old. Holy shit...

Its not my favorite but I love It

Vic Boss!

2023?

Christina from University of Florida 2003-2006 FSHN, from NM or NC, you out there? You introduced me to this band.

🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️

I cannot believe I am just discovering this

The General: "Take a shower and shine your shoes" Men: "Uhhh sir, we don't have showers" The General: "Ok, just shine your shoes then" Men: "We don't have that either..." The General: "Well just go jump in a river then"

yo estoy aqui por luis jimenez

Yo listen to this all you about to invade Gaza

One of the best bands of all time it's a shame they broke up

Wilmington, nc

2024

Yo what's good

0:07

💚🎶👍😘☺️

#fearthegeneralsprivates

Ahh all I can think about is people singing this at summer camp

0:06

The war between Russia and ukrain is awful but that’s not why I’m here. I see this song as a message to all young adults to be yourself and don’t be ashamed of it no matter what anyone else says. The worlds a scary place out there and the best way to navigate it is just be who you are :)

Had a substitute teacher in middle school who used to bring his guitar in and sing to the class. He turned out to be a pedophile.

Get them.

You are freel teo

On Minnesota thencops

LusesDeBengala.ninodios.heee

Gustavoguchii

Watchet

BobinvitedTighterTjthisisatimes

No thanksGiving Eve.hugeGoteros

Playstation16play

Notadeal4

Gasmoney please alreafy invested.rightpurseholders