Oh Mother, are you sleeping? And did you pray for me tonight? 'Cause I'm alone here on this front-line Hoping I might get back home alive I see the bullets flying And I feel the bombs explode I close my eyes and pull this trigger And kill these people that I don't even know Mother, please forgive me For these things that I have seen and done I hope I can still get home to heaven I wish I had a Bible instead of this damn gun I got sixty pounds upon my back A machine gun in my hand All day long, clearin' burned-out shacks All these things I know I'll never understand Mother, please forgive me For these things that I have seen and done I hope I can still get home to heaven I wish I had a Bible instead of this damn gun Oh I wish I had a Bible instead of this damn gun Oh I wish that I could tell you That I was safe away from harm But every time I close my eyes Mama, I wish you could hold me in your arms Mother, please forgive me For these things that I have seen and done I hope I can still get home to heaven I wish I had a Bible instead of this damn gun Mother, please forgive me For these things that I have seen and done I hope I can still get home to heaven I wish I had a Bible instead of this damn gun Oh I wish I had a Bible instead of this damn gun