Travelin' Soldier - performed at the 2001 CMA Awards

(Bruce Robison)

Two days past eighteen

He was waitin' for the bus in his army greens

Sat down in a booth at a café there

Gave his order to the girl with a bow in her hair

He's a little shy so she gave him a smile

And he said would you mind sittin' down for a while

And talkin' to me I'm feelin' a little low

She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go

So they went down and they sat on the pier

He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care

I've got no one to send a letter to

Would you mind if I sent one back here to you?

CHORUS:

I cried

Never gonna hold the hand of another guy

Too young for him they told her

Waitin' for the love of the travelin' soldier

Our love will never end

Waitin' for the soldier to come back again

Never more to be alone

When the letter says a soldier's coming home

So the letters came

From an army camp

In California then Vietnam

And he told his heart

It might be love

And all of the things he was so scared of

Said when it's gettin kinda rough over here

I think about that day sittin' down at the pier

And close my eyes and see your pretty smile

Don't worry but I won't be able to write for a while

CHORUS

One Friday night at a football game

The Lord's Prayer said and the anthem sang

A man said folks would you bow your heads

For the list of local Vietnam dead

Cryin' all alone under the stands

Was the piccolo player in the marching band

And one name read and nobody really cared

But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair

CHORUS