Compulsory Hero

Remember the times when we were kids Playing war games in your yard Everybody had to be a hero And get one in the heart Night would fall and we'd call a truce And all go home Years went by, we were average guys Playing life by a rule of thumb 'Til a man came on the TV Talking 'bout war like we wanted one He said, "Everybody line up, backs to the wall 'Til your number's called" You've gotta go and be a hero They've got a new game for all you boys It's war without a choice Compulsory hero Just try and make it home Grandpa heard the call to arms For the war to end all wars And 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 They made a law that you had to go and fight One more crazy war Compulsory hero 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 dying to make it home When I think back on all those times Playing war games in your yard Everybody had to be a hero Back then, that wasn't hard Night would fall on the battle zone And we could all go home (all go home) You had to go and be a hero They made a law that you had to go and fight One more crazy war Compulsory hero Just try and make it home Just try and make it home Oh, but whose gonna make it home