Johnny can't drink 'cause Johnny ain't twenty one
Yeah, but he's eighteen and he's pretty handy with a gun
They sent him off to a foreign land
Gave him a new pair of boots and thirteen grand
And he came back home with American blood on his handsGeorge is a real go getter and he's runnin' the show
And he should have known better but his old man told him to go
He sits at home with his feet on his desk
While the boys got their's in the sand
A million miles away with American blood on their handsJohnny can't walk but the medic says he's okay to fly
And the newspaper tell us he's a hero and a hell of a guy
They sent him up to Washington for a photo op with a smoking gun
He's got a purple heart and American blood on his handsBlack gold for silver stars, cold hard cash for armored cars
The brass ain't fightin' but they're sure as hell taking a stand
And they'll have to live with American blood on their handsAnd now George stands up on a boat proudly waving the flag
He says the hard part's over and we knew it wouldn't be so bad
But roadside bombs and six long years were never really part of the plan
What's a couple thousand more with American blood on their handsBlack gold for silver stars, cold hard cash for armored cars
The brass ain't fightin' but they're sure as hell taking a stand
And they'll have to live with American blood on their handsAnd now Johnny can drink all day 'cause he's twenty three
He donated his legs to the worldwide land of the free
He cries God bless America but goddamn uncle Sam
While he stares through the tears with American blood on his hands
While he stares through the tears with American blood on his handsBlack gold for silver stars, cold hard cash for armored cars
The brass ain't fightin' but they're sure as hell taking a stand
And they'll have to live with American blood on their hands