Verse One:
Johnny can't drink 'cause Johnny ain't twenty-one
Yeah but he's eighteen and he's pretty handy with a gun
They sent him off to a foreign land
Gave him a new pair of boots and thirteen grand
And he came back home with American blood on his hands
Verse Two:
But George is a real go-getter
and he's running the show
And he should have known better
but his old man told him to go
He sits at home with his feet on his desk
While the boys got theirs in the sand
A million miles away
with American blood on their hands
Verse Three:
Well Johnny can't walk but the medic
said he's okay to fly
And the newspapers tell us
he's a hero and hell of a guy
They sent him up to Washington
For a photo op with the smoking gun
He's got Purple Heart
and American blood on his hands
Chorus:
Black gold for silver stars
Cold hard cash for armored cars
The brass ain't fighting
but they're sure as hell taking a stand
And they'll have to live
with American blood on their hands
Verse Four:
Now George stands up
on a boat proudly waving a flag
He says the hard part's over
and he knew it wouldn't be so bad
The roadside bombs for six long years
were never really part of the plan
What's a couple thousand more
with American blood on their hands?
Repeat Chorus
Verse Five:
Now Johnny can drink all day 'cause he's twenty-three
He donated his legs to the worldwide land of the free
He cries God Bless America but God Damn Uncle Sam!
While he stares through the tears
with American blood on his hands
While he stares through the tears
with American blood on his hands
Repeat Chorus
