The Captain

Now the captain called me to his bed

He fumbled for my hand

Take these silver bars he said

I'm giving you command

Command of what

There's no one here

There's only you and me

All the rest are dead or in retreat

Or with the enemy

Complain complain

That's all you've done

Ever since we lost

If it's not the crucifixion

Then it's the holocaust

May christ have mercy on your soul

For making such a joke

Amid these hearts that burn like coal

And the flesh that rose like smoke

I know that you have suffered lad

But suffer this awhile:

Whatever makes a soldier sad

Will make a killer smile

I'm leaving captain I gatta go

There's blood upon your hand

But tell me captain if you know

Of a decent place to stand

There is no decent place to stand

In a massacre;

But if a woman take your hand

And go stand with her

I left a wife in tennessee

And a baby in saigon

I risked my life but not to hear

Some country-western song

Ah but if you cannot raise your love

To a very high degree

Then you're just the man

I've been thinking of

So come and stand with me

Your standing days are done

I cried

You'll rally me no more

I don't even know what side

We fought on or what for

I'm on the side that's always lost

Against the side of heaven

I'm on the side of snake-eyes tossed

Against the side of seven

And I've read the bill of human rights

And some of it was true

But there wasn't any burden left

So I'm laying it on you

Now the captain he was dying

But the captain wasn't hurt

The silver bars were in my hand

Pinned them to my shirt