When they first came to your school cafeteria Setting up tables and folding chairs While all around you the children sat squawking You were impatient to see what they had to share You were impressed by their pamphlets tri-folded With bullet point lists of the ways you could go Offering you chances to be part of legends You never thought you would be able to Soldier, Soldier Your grandpa died from a German man’s courage to do what he thought was right Downward he fell towards the mud like an extra In the background of a movie set You packed your bags gave a kiss to your mother And walked out the door with the world on your shoulders You traded your hands for grenades and machine guns And boy you sang your battle cry so low Momma, momma can’t you see What the army’s done to me I used to date a beauty queen Now I hug my M-16 Momma, momma, can't you see they made a soldier out of me Soldier, Soldier I know there are forms waiting at the post office Neatly arranged in a bin labeled draft forms And as I walk by them they scream and they’re snarling Threatening to take the man I love away