|
He came home to |
|
Tennessee |
|
Young man at the end of forty five |
|
Only one of seven men in his platoon |
|
That made it back alive |
|
And he must've seen some tough things |
|
But he never said too much about all that |
|
Put his pictures and his memories in our cedar chest |
|
Everything but his old army hat |
|
By the time that |
|
I was born |
|
The winds of change had swept across our land |
|
They were burning flags and draft cards |
|
When they bothered to take some kind of stand |
|
Now we used to laugh at grandpa |
|
Like he was some old relic from the past ' |
|
Cause he never left the house unless he was wearing |
|
That funny looking worn out army hat |
|
Every eye was on him |
|
Anytime when he went anywhere |
|
They whispered and they pointed |
|
But you could tell my grandpa didn't care "I ain't wearing this for them", he'd say "It's a whole lot more than that For my buddies who gave everything The least that I can do is keep on wearing this old army hat" |
|
He called me up one morning |
|
Said he'd seen it on the news on his |
|
TV "They've opened up a monument to World War II In Washington DC" "I ain't getting any younger And I wish someone would take me to see that" |
|
And I couldn't help but think they're gonna laugh at you up there |
|
If you show up in that silly army hat |
|
Two strangers, both salute |
|
As grandpa walked up to the monument |
|
One said, "Thank you soldier, for the job well done" |
|
The other said, "Amen" |
|
And a young boy told him "Sir, my daddy went to war and didn't make it back Could you take a picture standing here beside me And maybe let me wear your army hat" |
|
Every eye was on him |
|
There was not a dry one in the crowd |
|
They whispered and they pointed |
|
As my grandpa stood up extra tall and proud |
|
And he told him, "Son, just keep it" |
|
When the young boy tried his best to give it back "You're a brave little soldier and every soldier needs His very own authentic army hat" "For your daddy who gave everything the least that I can do Is pass on this old worn out army hat" |
