Dress Blues

What can you see from your window? I can't see anything from mine Flags on the side of the highway And scripture on grocery store signs Maybe 18 was to early Maybe 30 or 40 is too Did you get your chance to make peace with the man Before he sent down his angels for you? Mamas and grandmamas love you 'Cause that's all they know how to do But you never planned on the bombs in the sand Or sleeping in your dress blues Your wife said this all would be funny When you got back home in a week You'd turn 22 and we'd celebrate you In a bar or a tent by the creek Your baby would just about be here And your very last tour would be up But you won't be back, they're all dressing in black Drinking sweet tea in a styrofoam cups Mamas and grandmamas love you American boys hate to lose But you never planned on the bombs in the sand Or sleeping in your dress blues The high school gymnasium's ready Full of flowers and old legionnaires Nobody showed up to protest Just sniffle and stare There's red, white, and blue in the rafters And there's silent old men from the corps What did they say when they shipped you away To fight somebody's Hollywood war? And nobody here could forget you You showed us what we had to lose And you never planned on the bombs in the sand Or sleeping in your dress blues You never planned on the bombs in the sand Or sleeping in your dress blues