I went down to battle in the coat that she sewed me
The sky was cracked open and the birds were all dead
Our rifles were ready, they were cocked, locked, and loaded
Ready to paint all our enemies red

Chorus:
Eyeball to eyeball we fired through the gunsmoke
Brother on brother we fell in the rain
Now our bodies lie rotten, we’ve left them behind us
We’re passengers travelin’ on that holy slow train

I followed my captain, did all that he told me
I tramped through the trees that I hunted when young
He told us we fought in defense of our fathers
I believed every story that tripped off his tongue

Chorus

Oh, darlin’, my darlin’, I hope you can hear me
I carry your love through the smoke and the flame
I slash and I smash and I kill and I plunder
For God and my country and your precious name

Chorus

Oh, mother and father, please bury me yonder
Beneath that old oak tree where my dog’s buried too
And lie down together to rest when you’re weary
And when you cross over I’ll be waiting on you

Chorus