Lyrics
Let me tell you the story of a soldier named Dan
Introducing a soldier named Dan
Went out to fight the good fight in South Vietnam
Dan went to South Vietnam to fight for noble causes
Went out to fight for peace, liberty and all
His purpose was to fight for peace, liberty, and more
Went out to fight for equality, hope, let's go
He fought for equality and hope
And the war drags on
Despite efforts, the war continues
Found himself involved in a sea of blood and bones
Describes Dan witnessing a gruesome scene of death
Millions without faces, without hope and without homes
Many people suffered without identity, hope, or shelter
And the guns they grew louder as they made dust out of bones
The sound of guns intensified, turning bodies into dust
That the flesh had long since left just as the people left their homes
People abandoned their homes, leaving behind lifeless remains
And the war drags on
Emphasizes the continuous and enduring nature of the war
They're just there to try and make the people free
Military claims to strive for freedom, but actions contradict
But the way that they're doin' it, it don't seem like that to me
Actions taken by the military seem contradictory to freedom
Just more blood letting and misery and tears
War results in more suffering, bloodshed, and sadness
That this poor country's known for the last twenty years
Refers to the prolonged misery in the country due to war
And the war drags on
Reiterates the ongoing nature of the war
Last night, poor Dan had a nightmare it seems
Dan experiences recurring nightmares
One kept occurrin' and reoccurrin' in his dreams
His dreams involve cities in chaos, fire, and loud screams
Cities full of people burnin', screamin', shoutin' loud
Portrays a horrific scene of people in distress
And right there overhead, a great orange mushroom cloud
A depiction of a nuclear explosion and its aftermath
And there's no more war
Suggests an end to war but at the cost of the world's destruction
For there's no, no more world
Implies the absence of war due to the absence of the world
And the tears come streaming down
Expresses Dan's emotional reaction - tears flowing
Yes, I lie crying on the ground
Dan lies crying on the ground in sorrow
Comment