Remember the times when we were kids

Playing war games in your yard

Everybody had to be a hero-o, and get one in the heart

Then night would fall and we'd call a tru-uce

And all go-o home



Years went by, we were average guys

Playin' life by a rule of thumb

'Til a man came on the TV, talkin' 'bout a war like we wanted one

He said everybody line up, backs to the wall

'Til your number-er's called



You've gotta go and be a hero-o

They've got a new game for all you boys

It's war without a choice

Compulsory hero-o, just try and make it home



Your Grandpa heard the call to arms for the war to end all war-ars

Then your dad went off to do his bit when they had to go one more

But you, you've got no say in it, you've gotta fight and that's the law



You've gotta go and be a hero-o

They made a law that you had to go and fight

One more crazy war-ar

Compulsory hero-o, just try and make it home



So all the had-to-be heroes went off to do their chores

None of them really would have known

How far a bloody war goes

They're dy-yin' to make it home



When I think back on all those times

Playin' war games in your yard

Everybody had to be a hero-o, back then that wasn't hard

Then night would fall on the battlezone

And we could all go home (all go home)



You had to go and be a hero-o

They made a law that you had to go and fight one more crazy war-ar

Compulsory hero-o, just try and make it home

Just try and make it home

Oh but who's gonna make it home