Not so long ago in Oklahoma
The son of an Oakie preacher knelt to pray
He said Lord I want to be a Christian soldier just like you
And fight to build a new and better day.
Now many years and miles from Okla homa
That same young Oakie boy still kneels to pray
But he don't pray to be no Christian soldier anymore
He just prays to make it thru another day.
Cause Lord it's hard to be a Christian soldier
when you tote a gun and it hurts to have to watch a grown man cry.
But were playing cards, writing home, having lots of fun,
Telling jokes and learnin' how to die.
The things I've come to know seem so con fusin.
It's getting hard to tell what's wrong from right.
I can' t separate the winners from the losers anymore
and I'm thinking off just giving up the fight.
Cause Lord it's hard to be a Christian soldier
when you tote a gun and it hurts to have to watch a grown man cry.
But were playing cards, writing home, having lots of fun,
Turning on and learnin' how to die.