1965 - Danny Boone, Daniel Lee

Now, he didn’t ask to go

But Ol' Sammy called his number

He boarded that old Greyhound bus

And said goodbye to his mother

Headed for Fort Benning, Georgia

Basic training in the summer

He said «I was young and tough

But that ol' drill sergeant was tougher»

Yellin, y’all gonna learn how to suffer

I’m gonna make a man of all you chumps

They shaved his head and gave him a number

U.S. 53 435 319

In army green with an M-16

In 1965

He was fighting for me

Way before my time

When he sees Ol' Glory raised

He still cries like it’s 1965

Yeah, 1965

Now he didn’t ask to go

But them Hueys dropped him off, and

That’s when the enemy got real

Body bags headed for coffins

He didn’t know how much being an American would cost him

He said «we were young and we were rough

But sometimes those Viet Cong were also»

And they sure knew how to suffer

We were all married to our guns

The fear of death, and a number

U.S. 53 435 319

In army green with an M-16

In 1965

He was fighting for me

Way before my time

When he sees Ol' Glory raised

He still cries like it’s 1965

'65, oh

And then one day his little grandson jumped up on his lap

Saw a bunch of medals that were in a frame

And said, «Were you in the war grandpa?»

He said «Yeah»

He said «Were you scared?

Did you kill anybody?»

Nah

«How'd you do it?»

He just laughed and said

«Keep your head down

And keep your gun up

A little bit of sense

And a whole lotta luck

Is all a man in this here world

Can hope for»

He said

«Keep your head down

And keep your gun up

A little bit of sense

And a whole lotta luck

And as many prayers

As you can say to the Lord»

U.S. 53 435 319

In army green with an M-16

In 1965

He was fighting for me

Way before my time

When he sees Ol' Glory raised

He still cries, like it’s 1965

Keep your head down

And keep your gun up (1965)

A little bit of sense

And a whole lotta luck (1965)

Is all a man in this here world

Can hope for (1965)

He said

Keep your head down (1965)

And keep your gun up

A little bit of sense

And a whole lotta luck

And as many prayers

As you can say to the Lord