He came home to Tennessee
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A young man at the end of forty-five
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Only one of seven men in his platoon that made it back alive
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He must have seen some tough times
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But he never talked too much about all that
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Put his pictures and his memories in the cedar chest
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Everything but his old army hat
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By the time I graduated
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The winds of change had blown across our land
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They were burning flags and draft cards
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When they bothered to take some kind of stand
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And we used to laugh at grandpa
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Like he was some old relic from the past
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Cause he never left the house less he was wearing
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That funny looking worn out army hat
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Every eye was on him anytime that he went anywhere
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They whispered and they pointed
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But you could tell that grandpa didn't care
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I ain't weaning this for them he said
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It's a whole lot more than that
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For my buddies who gave everything the least that I can do
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Is keep on wearing this old army hat
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He called me up one morning
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Said he'd seen it on the news on his TV
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They've opened up a monument to World War II in Washington D.C.
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I ain't getting any younger
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And I wish someone would take me to see that
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I couldn't help to think they will gonna laugh at you
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If you show up in that silly army hat
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Two strangers both saluted
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Aas grandpa walked up to the monument
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One said :thank you soldier for a job well done
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The other said :amen
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And a young boy said:
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Sir my daddy went to war and never made it back
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Would you take a picture standing here beside me ?
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And maybe let me wear your army hat
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Every eye was on him and there was not a dry one in the crowd
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They whispered and they pointed
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And grandpa stood up extra tall and proud
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He said: son just keep it
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When the young boy tried his best to give it back
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You're a brave little soldier son and every soldier needs
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His very own authentic army hat
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For your daddy who gave everything
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The least that I can do
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Is pass on this old worn out army hat
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O beautiful for spacious skies for amber waves of grain
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For purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain
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America, America, God shed his grace on thee
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And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea
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And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea
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Old Army Hat
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| Bill Anderson |
