I was just a boy,
Working hard to be a man.
I wanted my revenge,
So I headed for the sand.
I threw away my books,
Traded in for army greens.
I picked up my rifle,
And worked on looking mean.

I the clay
A master sculptor
Took me in his hand
As he began to shape me,
I knew his plan was grand.
Plucked away my fear.
Implanted a new craze.
And by the time he's done,
I didn't fear the end of days

I look into the mirror,
My heart beating like a drum.
I try to catch a glimpse
Of the stranger I've become.
Tears well in my eyes
No longer could I see
That playful southern boy
From middle Tennessee

.....