The songs of the wars are as old as the hills

They cling like the rust on the cold steel that kills

They tell of the boys who went down to the tracks

In a patriotic manner with the cold steel on their backs



The patriot's dream is as old as the sky

It lives in the lust of a cold callous lie

Let's drink to the men who got caught by the chill

Of the patriotic fever and the cold steel that kills



The train pulled away on that glorious night

The drummer got drunk and the bugler got tight

While the boys in the back sang a song of good cheer

While riding off to glory in the spring of their years



The patriot's dream still lives on today

It makes mothers weep and it makes lovers pray

Let's drink to the men who got caught by the chill

Of the patriotic fever and the cold steel that kills



Well there was a sad, sad lady

Weeping all night long

She received a sad, sad message

From a voice on the telephone

Her children were all sleeping

As she waited out the dawn

How could she tell those children

That their father was shot down

So she took them to her side that day

And she told them one by one

Your father was a good man ten thousand miles from home

He tried to do his duty and it took him straight to hell

He might be in some prison, i hope he's treated well



Well there was a young girl watching in the early afternoon

When she heard the name of someone who said he'd be home soon

And she wondered how they got him, but the papers did not tell

There would be no sweet reunion, there would be no wedding bells

So she took herself into her room and she turned the bed sheets down

And she cried into the silken folds of her new wedding gown

He tried to do his duty and it took him straight to hell

He might be in some prison, i hope he's treated well



Well there was an old man sitting in his mansion on the hill

And he thought of his good fortune and the time he'd yet o kill

Well he called to his wife one day, "come sit with me awhile"

Then turning toward the sunset, he smiled a wicked smile

"well i'd like to say i'm sorry for the sinful deeds i've done

But let me first remind you, i'm a patriotic son"

They tried to do their duty and it took 'em straight to hell

They might be in some prison, i hope they're treated well



The songs of the wars are as old as the hills

They cling like the rust on the cold steel that kills

They tell of the boys who went down to the tracks

In a patriotic manner with the cold steel on their backs



The train pulled away on that glorious night

The drummer got drunk and the bugler got tight

While the boys in the back sang a song of good cheer

While riding off to glory in the spring of their years



The patriot's dream still lives on today

It makes mothers weep and it makes lovers pray

Let's drink to the men who got caught by the chill

Of the patriotic fever and the cold steel that kills


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