I used to love the Fourth of July,
Marching bands, barbecues,
Fire in the sky,
In the days before we went to war
And so many soldiers died.
I used to love the Fourth of July.
Great grand-dads saw Korea
Grandfathers Viet Nam
Fathers fought in Babylon
Sons in Afghanistan.
Some went because of boredom.
They thought it would be cool.
Some joined to have a better life;
the chance to go to school.
They joined to stand and test their strength against the gates of hell. They joined to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
I used to love the fourth of July,
Summer days and county fairs,
Fireworks in the sky,
In the days before they went to war,
And so many people cried.
I used to love the fourth of July.
Great grand-dads saw Korea
Grandfathers Viet Nam
Fathers fought in Babylon
Sons in Afghanistan.
They went away to the Middle East
for whatever cause they gave.
Some found hate, some fought for peace,
and some slept in a grave.
Some came home and fought the war in nightmares, and despair,
And lived their lives of freedom too drunk or stoned to care.
Now, on holidays I wonder as I think of what’s been lost,
I wonder, when it’s said and done if those wars were worth the cost.
They said they were for liberty, so people could be free,
But was that the real reason back in Washington, DC?
Great grand-dads saw Korea
Grandfathers Viet Nam
Fathers fought in Babylon
Sons in Afghanistan.
I used to love the 4th of July…