In 1965 Vietnam seemed like just another foreign war, but it wasn't
It was different in many ways, as so were those that did the fighting
In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was twenty-six
In Vietnam he was nineteen
In inininininin Vietnam he was nineteenIn inininininin Vietnam, he was nineteen
In Vietnam, he was nineteen
N-n-n-n-nineteenThe heaviest fighting of the past two weeks
Continued today twenty-five miles northwest of SaigonI really wasn't sure what was going onN-n-n-n-nineteen, nineteen
N-nineteen, nineteenIn Vietnam the combat soldier typically served a twelve-month tour of duty
But was exposed to hostile fire almost every dayN-n-n-n-nineteen
(N-n-n-n-nineteen) nineteenIn Saigon a US military spokesman said today
More than seven hundred enemy troops were killed last week
In that sensitive border area
In all of South Vietnam
The enemy lost a total of two thousand six hundred eighty-nine soldiersAll those who remember the war
They won't forget what they've seen
Destruction of men in their prime
Whose average age was nineteenD-d-d-d-d-destruction
D-d-d-d-d-destructionAccording to a Veteran's Administration study
Half of the Vietnam combat veterans suffered From what psychiatrists call
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Many vets complain of alienation, rage, or guilt
Some succumb to suicidal thoughts
Eight to ten years after coming home
Almost eight-hundred-thousand men
Are still fighting the Vietnam WarNone of them received a hero's welcomeNineteen
S-S-S-S-Saigon
Nineteen, n-n-n-n-n-ninteen
N-n-n-n-n-ninteenNineteen n-n-n-n-n-ninteen
N-n-n-n-n-ninteen, nineteen(Vietnam, S-S-S-S-Saigon)Purple heart, Saigon(I wasn't really sure what was going on)
Songwriters
OLDFIELD, MIKE/HARDCASTLE, PAUL/COUTURIE, WILLIAM D / MC CORD, JONASPublished by
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC