Written by Big Kenny/John Rich
Intro: A G D (x2)
A
Said goodbye to his mama as he left South Dakota
G D
To fight for the red, white and blue
A
He was 19 and green with a new M-16
G D
Just doin' what he had to do
A
He was dropped in the jungle where the choppers would rumble
G D
With the smell of napalm in the air
A G
Then the sergeant said, look up ahead
A
Like a dark evil cloud 1200 came down
G D
On him and 29 more
A
They fought for their lives but most of them died
G D
In the 173rd airborne
Chorus:
A
On the 8th of November the angels were cryin'
G D
As they carried his brothers away
A
With the fire raining down and the hell all around
G D
There were few men left standing that day
F G
Saw the eagle fly through a clear blue sky
F G A G D
1965, the 8th of November
A
Now he's 58 and his ponytail's gray
G D
But the battle still plays in his head
A
He limps when he walks but he's strong when he talks
G D
Bout the shrapnel left in his leg
A
He puts on a gray suit over his airborne tattoo
G D
And he ties it on one time a year
A (one strum)
And remembers the fallin' as he order's a tall one
G D
Swallows it down with his tears
CHORUS
A G D
F(one strum) G (one strum)
Saw the eagle fly through a clear blue sky
F G (one strum each)
1965
CHORUS x2 (1st 4 lines then whole thing)
A
Said goodbye to his mama as he left South Dakota
G D
To fight for the red, white and blue
A
He was 19 and green with a new M-16
G D
Just doin' what he had to do
Full
key step up
Half
key step up
Half
key step down
Full
key step down
