Song of a Soldier (Demo Version)

Song of a Soldier (Demo Version) - Phil Ochs

And the flag draped coffins are a sailin' home

And the waves are watching as the engine drones

As the ship draws near hear the bugle moan

The sad and silent song of a soldier

With a hero's greeting we will welcome him

With hero's speeches we will honor him

With a hero's ending we will bury him

That's the sad and silent song of a soldier

And comfort his family with a telegram

We regret to inform you we have lost a man

But we gave him the highest medal of the land

That's the sad and silent song of a soldier

We know what an awful price he had to pay

But the enemy was contained for another day

We trained him well

But he would have wanted it that way

That's the sad and silent song of a soldier

Oh the weary wounded they wait by his side

Wondering why they hadn't also died

The picture of victory on it's pride

That's the sad and silent song of a soldier

And the flag is at half mast wet with foreign rain

Ignored by the stranger he had helped to train

To him it was his duty to them again

That's the sad and silent song of a soldier

At arlington he's lowered down without a pause

And his native land welcomes him with open jaws

And the tombstone reads such a noble cause

That's the sad and silent song of a soldier

Now a moment of silence for the broken man

While the president proudly crows "we'll never bend"

And cheers their replacements marching off again

That's the sad and silent song of a soldier

And the flag draped coffins are a sailin' home

And the waves are a watchin' as the engines drone

As the ship draws near hear the bugle moan

The sad and silent song of a soldier