https://youtu.be/knK_6MqLAeU

“We Just Did What We Were Told”

It’s January 27th, 1968
I was standing on a troop ship
Long Beach harbor, Golden State
Freeway in the distance cars as far as I could see
They all know just where they’re going
Sure wished that was me

Well the officers were older, but most of us were kids
And I don’t think we ever thought we’d do the things we did
Fat chance we’d all return, the odds were just too thin
But know one really talked about it
Cause no one thinks it’s him

Said we were fighting for their freedom
Charlie must have thought the same
In the delta, in those highlands
We fought hard just staying sane
Maybe someone else had it figured out
I just wanted it to end
It seemed like such a waste of time
And a lot of wasted men

Cause there were no rules in that jungle
There were two sides back at home
Told us not to think about it
But it made you feel alone
Now I don’t hold against nobody now
Maybe I’m just getting old
But if you ask for my opinion
We just did what we were told

Yea, some folks even called us losers
But no one raised me to be bad
For the most part, we were first-rate
Some the best this country had
Just good ole’ boys and college kids
Hell, we knew by 8 years old
If your country called your number
You just did what you were told

Cause there were no rules in that jungle
There war two sides back at home
Jessie Young sang get together then
And we all sang alone
And every now and then I think about
The way that thing was sold
And if you ask for my opinion
we just did what we were told

I pulled up to a stoplight grubby stranger came along
Cardboard sign and a little dog I said
Man, where’d he go wrong
But a Blackhawk patch caught my eye
It looked like he was stoned
I knew he’s just another one
Who never got back home

There were no rules in that jungle
There were two sides back at home
You don’t have to think about this
But it chilled me to the bone
Every time I stop and think about
The way this thing got sold
My opinion’s locked and loaded
We just did what we were told