Story Behind The Song
Outrage at repeating the mistake of Vietnam in Iraq.
Song Description
A History Lesson of how easy it is to start a war, and how hard it is to get out of one.
Song Length |
6:43 |
Genre |
Folk - Rock, Folk - Contemporary |
Tempo |
Medium Slow (91 - 110) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
Mood |
Incensed, Peaceful |
Subject |
Liberal, Progressive, Patriotic |
Similar Artists |
John Lennon, Billy Joel |
Language |
English |
Era |
2000 and later |
| |
Lyrics
TOMMY WAS A HANDSOME YOUNG MAN
WHEN HE JOINED UP TO FIGHT IN THE WAR
THEY SHIPPED HIM OFF TO VIETNAM
THOUGHT HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS FIGHTING FOR
THEY TOLD HIM HE'S FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM
THEY TOLD HIM HE'S FIGHTING FOR PEACE
SO HANDSOME YOUNG TOMMY, HE STRAPPED ON HIS GUN
AND HE MARCHED OFF TO MEET HIS RELEASE
WE ALL WAVED OUR FLAGS IN A STUPOR
AS WE TENDED OUR BONDS AND OUR STOCKS
BUT AFTER A WHILE WE GREW TIRED
OF OUR SONS COMING HOME IN A BOX
THEN THE YOUNG PEOPLE ROSE UP IN ANGER
SAID 'WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE ANY MORE'
THEY TOOK TO THE STREETS AND TOLD PRESIDENT JOHNSON
JUST WHAT HE COULD DO WITH HIS WAR
SO WE DANCED ALL NIGHT
AS THE EARTH TURNED 'ROUND
AND WE KISSED THE SKY
THEN WE HIT THE GROUND
WE WERE ALL TOO YOUNG
WHEN WE HEARD THE SOUND
THAT ENDED OUR CHILDHOOD
AND TURNED OUR WHOLE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN
SLOWLY THINGS WENT BACK TO NORMAL
THERE WASN'T TOO MUCH OF A FUSS
THE REST OF THE WORLD COULD GO CRAZY
S'LONG AS THEY DIDN'T GO CRAZY ON US
THEN ONE FINE BLUE SKY MORNING
THE INMATES ARRIVED AT OUR DOOR
IN AN INSTANT WE LEARNED THAT WE WEREN'T THE
ONLY COUNTRY ON EARTH ANYMORE
GEORGE BUSH WAS A COWBOY FROM TEXAS
AT DECEPTION HE WAS AN OLD HAND
HE SOLD US A LINE ABOUT WEAPONS
THAT COULD KILL EVERYONE IN OUR LAND
AND AGAINST ALL THE FACTS HE INFORMED US
THAT SADDAM WAS FLYING THOSE PLANES
HE BOMBED THE HELL RIGHT OUT OF THE WRONG COUNTRY
THEN HE WENT ON TO TRASH OUR GOOD NAME
SOME TRIED TO QUESTION HIS MOTIVES
BUT THE MEDIA STIFLED THEIR WORDS
"NO ATTACK SINCE THAT AWFUL SEPTEMBER"
WAS THE ONLY REFRAIN THAT WAS HEARD
WE WENT BACK TO WATCHING SURVIVOR
AND MESSAGING OUR INSTANT FRIENDS
THEN WE ALL LOST OUR MINDS AND WE VOTED
HIS DUMBASS RIGHT BACK INTO OFFICE AGAIN
AND WE DANCED ALL NIGHT
AS THE EARTH TURNED 'ROUND
AND WE KISSED THE SKY
THEN WE HIT THE GROUND
WE WERE ALL TOO YOUNG
WHEN WE HEARD THE SOUND
THAT ENDED OUR CHILDHOOD
AND TURNED OUR WHOLE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN
EVERYTHING HAS ITS CONCLUSION
SO WE'LL BRING ONE MORE WAR TO AN END
WE'LL SEND UP A SIGH OF RELIEF KNOWING GEORGE BUSH
CANNOT TERRORIZE US AGAIN
AND IF WE REACH OUT TO EACH OTHER
WE CAN LET A TRUE HEALING BEGIN
'CAUSE WE LEARNED THAT IN WAR WE'RE ALL LOSERS
AND ONLY WITH PEACE CAN WE WIN
WE ALL USED TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY
BUT FROM NOW ON WE LIVE IN THE WORLD
THE NEW WIND THAT'S BLOWING WILL SOON CARRY OFF
EVERY FLAG THAT'S BEEN EVER UNFURLED
AND IF WE DON'T CHANGE FOR THE FUTURE
WE'LL BE FOREVER RE-LIVING OUR PAST
SO LET'S TAKE THIS CHANCE TO BLESS ONE ANOTHER
WITH LOVE... AND IN PEACE... AT LAST
AND WE'LL DANCE ALL NIGHT
'CAUSE THE EARTH TURNS 'ROUND
WE CAN REACH THE SKY
WITH OUR FEET ON THE GROUND
WE CAN TAKE THE WHEEL
TURN THIS THING AROUND
AND SAIL OUT OF THE DARKNESS
AND TURN THE WHOLE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN
WE'LL SAIL OUT OF THE DARKNESS
AND TURN THE WHOLE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN