Key:
Introduction:
C
Now, he didn't ask to go
G
But Ol' Sammy called his number
Em
He boarded that old Greyhound bus
F
And said goodbye to his mother
C
Headed for Fort Benning, Georgia
G
Basic training in the summer
Em
He said "I was young and tough
F
But that ol' drill sergeant was tougher"
C G
Yellin, y'all gonna learn how to suffer
Em
I'm gonna make a man of all you chumps
F
They shaved his head and gave him a number
C G
U.S. 5 3 4 3 5 3 1 9
Am
In army green with an M-16
F
In 1965
C
He was fighting for me
G
Way before my time
Am
When he sees Ol' Glory raised
F C
He still cries like it's 1965
G Em F
Yeah, 1965
C
Now he didn't ask to go
G
But them Hueys dropped him off, and
That's when the enemy got real
F
Body bags headed for coffins
C G
He didn't know how much being an American would cost him
He said "we were young and we were rough
F
But sometimes those Viet Cong were also"
C G
And they sure knew how to suffer
We were all married to our guns
F
The fear of death, and a number
C G
U.S. 5 3 4 3 5 3 1 9
Am
In army green with an M-16
F
In 1965
C
He was fighting for me
G
Way before my time
Am
When he sees Ol' Glory raised
F C
He still cries like it's 1965
G
'65, oh
Em F
And then one day his little grandson jumped up on his lap
C
Saw a bunch of medals that were in a frame
G
And said, "Were you in the war grandpa?"
He said "Yeah"
Em
He said "Were you scared?
Did you kill anybody?"
F
"How'd you do it?"
He just laughed and said
C
"Keep your head down
And keep your gun up
G
A little bit of sense
And a whole lotta luck
Em Cm
Is all a man in this here world
F
Can hope for"
He said
C
"Keep your head down
And keep your gun up
G
A little bit of sense
And a whole lotta luck
Em
And as many prayers
F
As you can say to the Lord"
C G
U.S. 5 3 4 3 5 3 1 9
Am
In army green with an M-16
F
In 1965
C
He was fighting for me
G
Way before my time
Am
When he sees Ol' Glory raised
F C
He still cries, like it's 1965
C
Keep your head down
And keep your gun up (1965)
G
A little bit of sense
And a whole lotta luck (1965)
Em Am
Is all a man in this here world
F
Can hope for (1965)
He said
C
Keep your head down (1965)
And keep your gun up
G
A little bit of sense
And a whole lotta luck
Em
And as many prayers
F
As you can say to the Lord
Thanks! Have fun!