Hero of War
Tim McIlrath
Appeal to Reason
2008
Acoustic
Rise Against
1
modern
He said, "Son, have you seen the world?
Well, what would you say if I said that you could?
Just carry this gun; you'll even get paid."
I said, "That sounds pretty good."
Black leather boots, spit shined so bright.
They cut off my hair, but it looked alright.
We marched, and we sang.
We all became friends, as we learned how to fight.
I kicked in the door, I yelled my commands.
The children they cried, but I got my man.
We took him away, a bag over his face,
From his family and his friends.
They took off his clothes; they pissed in his hands.
I told them to stop, but then I joined in.
We beat him with guns and batons
Not just once, but again and again.
She walked through bullets and haze
I asked her to stop; I begged her to stay.
But she pressed on,
So I lifted my gun, and I fired away.
And the shells jumped through the smoke
And into the sand that the blood now had soaked.
She collapsed with a flag in her hand,
A flag white as snow.
He said, "Son, have you seen the world?
Well, what would you say if I said that you could?
A hero of war, yeah, that's what I'll be,
And when I come home, they'll be damn proud of me.
I'll carry this flag to the grave if I must
'Cause it's a flag that I love, and a flag that I trust.
A hero of war, is that what they see,
Just medals and scars, so damn proud of me?
And I brought home that flag. Now it gathers dust
But it's a flag that I love; it's the only flag I trust.