1965
[Verse 1]
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
[Chorus]
U.S. 53435319
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
[Verse 2]
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
[Chorus]
U.S. 53435319
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
[Bridge]
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
[Verse 3]
"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"
[Chorus]
U.S. 53435319
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
[Verse 3]
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 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"