1. Two days past eighteen
   He was waiting for the bus in his army green
   Sat down in a booth in a cafe there
   Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
   He's a little shy so she gives him a smile
   And he said would you mind sittin' down for a while
   And talking to me,
   I'm feeling a little low
   She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go
   
   So they went down and they sat on the pier
   He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care
   I got no one to send a letter to
   Would you mind if I sent one back here to you
   
R: I cried
   Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
   Too young for him they told her
   Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
   Our love will never end
   Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
   Never more to be alone when the letter said
   A soldier's coming home
   
2. So the letters came from an army camp
   In California then Vietnam
   And he told her of his heart
   It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of
   He said when it's getting kinda rough over here
   I think of that day sittin' down at the pier
   And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
   Don't worry but I won't be able to write for awhile
R:
   
3. One Friday night at a football game
   The Lord's Prayer said and the Anthem sang
   A man said folks would you bow your heads
   For a list of local Vietnam dead
   Crying all alone under the stands
   Was a piccolo player in the marching band
   And one name read but nobody really cared
   But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair
   
R: (2x)