goodnight saigon

we met as soul mates

on parris island

we left as inmates

from an asylum

and we were sharp

as sharp as knives

and we were so gung ho

to lay down our lives

we came in spastic

like tameless horses

we left in plastic

as numbered corpses

and we learned fast

to travel light

our arms were heavy

but our bellies were tight

we had no home front

we had no soft soap

they sent us playboy

they gave us bob hope

we dug in deep

and shot on sight

and prayed to jesus christ

with all of our might

we had no cameras

to shoot the landscape

we passed the hash pipe

and played our doors tapes

and it was dark

so dark at night

and we held on to each other

like brother to brother

we promised our mothers we'd write

and we would all go down together

we said we'd all go down together

yes we would all go down together

remember charlie

remember baker

they left their childhood

on every acre

and who was wrong?

and who was right?

it didn't matter in the thick of the fight

we held the day

in the palm

of our hand

they ruled the night

and the night

seemed to last as long as six weeks

on parris island

we held the coastline

they held the highlands

and they were sharp

as sharp as knives

they heard the hum of our motors

they counted the rotors

and waited for us to arrive

and we would all go down together

we said we'd all go down together

yes we would all go down together