I woke up to a country song
Mother's favorite song to sing  
And when the mailman came down the road so long
She cried out "Let freedom ring"

My sweetheart grabbed my arm
And she told me she wouldn't let go
But when the mailman handed me a bullet-storm
I told them I had to go

I left home a week from then
Still too nervous to even think
I wondered if I would die and never see them again
But I drowned it all in a thousand drinks

I killed my first man on a Monday
And by Tuesday it was up to nine
I had my thoughts but I had nothing to say
They told me their lives were mine

I got shot in the chest
And I saw the end of the road
But as I stared through blood to the sunset west
I heard the choir bells explode

I came home somebody else
I knew they wouldn't recognize me
But I stayed kind and tried to keep to myself
And my sweetheart stayed with me

She's still here with me
And now we're both at the end of the road
When I close my eyes, I still see misery
But when I open them, I am home