Dad's Gonna Kill Me

Describes a dead soldier in the desert, emphasizing the harsh conditions of war.

Paints a gruesome picture of vultures feeding on the soldier's remains.

Reflects on the randomness of fate, suggesting the narrator could easily be in the soldier's place.

Expresses a sense of isolation and lack of love in the hostile environment.

Reiterates the loneliness and lack of love theme.

Repeats the fear of impending danger, with the repeated line "Dad's gonna kill me" indicating the severity of the situation.

Dad's gonna kill me

Describes the dangers of war, mentioning booby traps, bullets, and a reference to "ali baba" as a symbol of an enemy.

With every bullet your risk increases

Old ali baba, he's a different species

Reiterates the feeling of being unloved and abandoned in the war zone.

Nobody loves me here

Repeats the anticipation of the father's disapproval and anger.

Dad's gonna kill me

Describes the narrator's vulnerable state in a military vehicle ("humv frankenstein") and the element of luck in surviving.

I hit the road block, somehow I never hit the mine

The dice rolled and I got lucky this time

Repeats the fear of the father's reaction to the narrator's precarious situation.

And dad's gonna kill me

Mentions the narrator's family, emphasizing the stakes involved and the prayerful attitude adopted in the face of danger.

I might get home if I can live through today

Before I came out here I never used to pray

Reiterates the sense of abandonment and lack of love in the war environment.

Nobody loves me here

Repeats the theme of the impending threat from the father.

Describes the father's mood, the narrator's predicament being someone else's mess, and a cynical reference to media coverage of the war.

It's someone else's mess that I didn't choose

At least we're winning on the Fox evening news

Reiterates the feeling of being unloved and unnoticed in the war setting.

Nobody loves me here

Repeats the fear of the father's anger and disapproval.

Dad's gonna kill me

Describes the danger of a patrol mission and the consequences of not following instructions.

Hug the wire and pray like I told you, Mac

Or they'll be shovelling bits of you into a sack

Repeats the fear of the father's reaction to potential danger and disobedience.

And dad's gonna kill me

Introduces a mysterious and ominous figure ("stranger") associated with death.

Whose that stranger cast a shadow 'cross my heart?

Who's that stranger, I dare speak his name?

Must be old death a-walking

Must be old death a-walking

Repeats the fear of the father's anger, with the added context of the mysterious stranger.

Describes soldiers as vulnerable targets in the war, waiting for danger to strike.

Standing, waiting for the sandbox to blow

Sitting targets in the wild west show

Reiterates the theme of feeling unloved and unnoticed in the war setting.

Nobody loves me here

Repeats the anticipation of the father's disapproval and anger.

Dad's gonna kill me

References the death of a fellow soldier in a darkly humorous way, highlighting the absurdity of war language.

Charbroiled with his own willie pete

Nobody's dying if you speak double-speak

Repeats the fear of the father's reaction to the ongoing danger and potential death.

And dad's gonna kill me

And dad's gonna kill me