I thought worst that I could get there was a lead in my gut,
But the worst that you can give me is this lead in my cup,
I might be all washed up, but I'm a pretty good man,
Sure, I'm hard as a nail, and I will sell you the blood on my hands.
I'm looking at you, (tell me, what do you see?)
I'm looking at you, (and I won't go away)
In the light of the star spangled evening,
In the name of the red, white and blue.
My daddy said, "A man has got to fight to be free,"
Tucked his slogans in the bed there with my brothers and me,
He'd be prouder now if I had never come home,
I wear the shoes, and the clothes, and the crown of the soldier unknown.
I'm looking at you, (tell me, what do you see?)
I'm looking at you, (and I won't go away)
In the light of the star spangled evening,
In the name of the red, white and blue.
You say, "Give me a break,"
I say, "Show me you're broken,"
My lame and legless comrades have spoken,
Say, "Jump in a lake,"
I say, "You got to be joking, where I come from the lake is smoking."
I will labour for your wages, for the cash of the realm,
I will tell you all my stories, you can write 'em down,
But you can save your tears for the names on the wall.
I'm a living reminder that pride comes before a fall.
I'm looking at you, (tell me, what do you see?)
I'm looking at you, (and I won't go away)
In the light of the star spangled evening,
In the name of the red, white and blue,
I'm looking at you, (tell me, what do you see?)
I'm looking at you, (and I won't go away)
In the light of the star spangled evening,
In the name of the red, white and blue.
