parallels

Back then, in the days of the Vietnam War
we were never really, never honestly told
(especially when things started to go wrong)
what the hell we were out there fighting for.

It was shut your mouth and do what's right
our flag, our country, love it or leave it,
(never mind if the government lies through it teeth)
so get off your ass and go out and fight.

In the early days that's what guys did
because there was trust and innocence
(and our daddies had fought in World War Two)
but who were these people trying to kid?

In 1967, just about two years in,
the war had become a national migraine
(200 draftees, kids, killed each week)
but no talk of leaving, that was a sin!

We had the draft, and the young generation
had just invented sex, drugs and rock'n'roll
(you think this stuff just started by itself?)
Old men were killing the young of the nation.

We were told that the Cong had had their backs broken
that the insurgency was "in its last throes"
(but then came Tet, no more lights in the tunnel)
and no trust, after that, in any words that were spoken.

The war dragged on, for five long dreadful years,
and our dead soldiers - average age 19 - hit 57 thousand
(never mind we had killed a million or more civilians)
and that was it: pull down the shades, ignore the tears.

So now what ... here we go again?