too long a soldier

we were the children of '45

loaded like pistols and taught how to die

we looked the enemy straight in the eye

through trenches dug in the back of my mind

i go over the top time after time

me and the ones we left behind

now there's no fight left within me

but the writing of this wrong

as nations we're divided

but as people we are one

like brothers in blood it seems that we've been -too long a soldier

in the city of monuments

among the flags of all governments

the order of battle is written in the shadows of a hard black line

where people cry for a nations scars

and heros sleep beneath a blanket of stars

too young to die

but never too old to play the general's game

now there's no life left within them

but the memory lingers on

as nations we're divided

but as people we are one

for brothers in blood we sing that we've been -too long a soldier

eternal flames blow in the wind

i've been too long a soldier

captain of the guard i'm coming in

too long

too long a soldier

i've seen so much worth dying for

so little worth killing over

hey

hey

eternal flames blow in the wind

i've been too long a soldier

captain of the guard i'm coming in

too long

too long a soldier

i've seen so much worth dying for

so little worth killing over

soldiers gone before me

i will surely fade away

my eyes have seen the glory

and the suffering and the pain

i've been too long a soldier

too long

too long a soldier

i've been too long a soldier

too long a soldier

eternal flames blow in the wind

too long a soldier

my eyes have seen the glory of

too long a soldier

oh say can you see by the dawns early light

oooh

ooh

ooh

oooh

ooh

ooh