Singin' In Vietnam Talkin' Blues - Johnny Cash

One mornin' at breakfast, I said to my wife

We been everywhere once and some places twice

As I had another helping of country ham

She said "We ain't never been to Vietnam

"And there's a bunch of our boys over there."

So we went to the Orient: Saigon

Well we got a big welcome when we drove in

Through the gates of a place that they call Long Vinh

We checked in and everything got kinda quiet

But a soldier boy said: "Just wait 'til tonight

"Things get noisy. Things start happenin'

"Big bad firecrackers."

Well that night we did about four shows for the boys

And they were livin' it up with a whole lot of noise

We did our last song for the night

And we crawled into bed for some peace and quiet

But things weren't peaceful. And things weren't quiet

Things were scary

Well for a few minutes June never said one word

And I thought at first that she hadn't heard

Then a shell exploded not two miles away

She sat up in bed and I heard her say: "What was that?"

I said: "That was a shell, or a bomb."

She said: "I'm scared." I said "Me too."

Well all night long that noise kept on

And the sound would chill you right to the bone

The bullets and the bombs, and the mortar shells

Shook our bed every time one fell

And it never let up; it was gonna get worse

Before it got any better

Well when the sun came up, the noise died down

We got a few minutes sleep, an' we were sleepin' sound

When a soldier knocked on our door and said:

"Last night they brought in seven dead, and 14 wounded."

And would we come down to the base hospital, and see the boys

"Yes!"

So we went to the hospital ward by day

And every night we were singin' away

Then the shells and the bombs was goin' again

And the helicopters brought in the wounded men

Night after night; day after day

Comin' and a goin'

So we sadly sang for them our last song

And reluctantly we said: "So long."

We did our best to let 'em know that we care

For every last one of 'em that's over there

Whether we belong over there or not

Somebody over here love's 'em, and needs 'em

Well now that's about all that there is to tell

About that little trip into livin' hell

And if I ever go back over there any more

I hope there's none of our boys there for me to sing for

I hope that war is over with

And they all come back home

To stay

In peace