Today's Song You Should Know: 'If You're Reading This' By Tim McGraw

When Tim McGraw performed at the 2006 Academy of Country Music Awards, he unveiled a new song that was only about three weeks old. "If You're Reading This" was inspired by a magazine article McGraw and the song's co-writers Brad and Brett Warren had read about families dealing with the casualties of war. The song is written in the form of a letter written from a soldier to his family - a letter that is intended to be sent only if the soldier dies.

As McGraw performed the song, one hundred relatives of soldiers joined him onstage, under a banner that read "Families of Fallen Heroes," and the tune was such a hit several radio stations began playing versions of the tune they had recorded off of the CBS broadcast of the show. McGraw's label quickly rushed out a remixed live version of the song and it ultimately hit #3 on the country charts.

It's a powerful song, made even more poignant by the number of families who have used the song to post YouTube videos remembering their fallen loved one. Some of them are loving, some are raw and difficult to watch. But on this Memorial Day, this is a good song to remind everyone of the price so many Americans have paid protecting this country.

I've included videos of the original Tim McGraw performance, along with some of the ones created by military families.