The War

[Verse 1] I got drafted at 19 Me and a bunch of boys from home January '43 Drove out to Pine Bluff and signed on Went to basic, south of Birmingham Put me on west coast bound train Spent three days out in San Diego And they shipped me back east again Left a port, out of New York Slept for months in British rain Tore it up, down in London town And they shipped me back out again [Chorus] The preacher said "Boys, he who is killed, tonight Will dine with the Lord in paradise" One boy spoke up, said "Preacher, come on Eat your supper with us" [Verse 2] Never talk about those first days Lots of friends left behind But I made it all the way across France And I fought at the Maginot line Road a tank into Belgium Like them better than the French Like my daddy, thirty years before I did my time in a trench Lots of days, there's no water But the liquor kept me warm The cellars were stocked to the ceiling with booze So I carried a bottle with my gun [Chorus] The preacher said "Boys, he who is killed, tonight Will dine with the Lord in paradise" One boy spoke up, said "Preacher, come on Eat your supper with us" [Verse 3] Three times, I made sergeant I'm not that kind of man And pretty much, just as quick as I could I get busted back to private again 'Cause taking orders never suited me Giving them out was much worse I could not stand to get my friends killed So I took care of myself, first Now, I know that don't sound right Don't think too bad of me Now it keeps me up, nights What I could have done, differently [Chorus] The preacher said "Boys, he who is killed, tonight Will dine with the Lord in paradise" One boy spoke up, said "Preacher, come on Eat your supper with us" [Outro] I'd be no guest at the table of the Lord His food was not to be mine 'Cause I cursed his name, every chance that I could And I reckon that's why I'm still alive