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I will always associate the melancholy lyrics and melody of James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain” with the Vietnam War. The song came out in 1970, the year after I got back (68-69; 3rd Bn, 26th Marines). Each stanza of the lyrics summons up images and experiences coming out of the US involvement in that war:

https://genius.com/James-taylor-fire-and-rain-lyrics

For the longest time, I thought the song was about some soldier or Marine receiving a “Dear John” letter.

The song’s opening stanza speaks obliquely of some fracture, something unexpected happening. The subsequent stanzas seemed to be a series of poetic treatments of soldier or Marine infantrymen lived experiences in-country (not all of them involving combat). These include crashed helicopters (“flying machines in pieces on the ground“); intense combat (“sunny days that I thought would never end “); telephone exchange conversations with the states (“hours at the time on the telephone line to talk about things to come“); existential angst (“lonely times when I could not find a friend” and “Look down upon me Jesus. You’ve got to help me make a stand.”), etc.

Needless to say, I was surprised when, many years later, I found out he had composed the song about a young woman friend’s suicide and his own struggle with heroin addiction.

Doesn’t matter. For me, this song will always be about getting through that tour in South Vietnam and coming home; coming home to whatever awaited me.

As for its use at the Biden event, it’s a gathering of liberals: old, middle aged, and young. So playing it could’ve just been pure nostalgia for the good ol’ days. Of course, that’s not the explanation that the White House will give when asked. But don’t worry. If it doesn’t poll well, they’ll change it again and again until the ever obliging MSM conveniently forgets about it.