Verse 1: There was a decorated general with a heart of gold That likened him to all the stories he told Of past battles won and lost and legends of old A seasoned veteran in his own time On the battlefield, he gained respectful fame With many medals of bravery and stripes to his name He grew a beard as soon as he could to cover the scars on his face And bravely urged his men on But on the eve of a great battle, with the infantry in dream The old general tossed in his sleep and wrestled with it's meaning He awoke from the night to tell what he had seen And walked slowly out of his tent All the men held tall with their chests in the air With a courage in their blood and a fire in their stare It was a gray morning and they wondered how they would fare 'Til the old general told them to go home He said Bridge: I have seen the others, and I have discovered That this fight is not worth fighting And I've seen their mothers, and I will no other To follow me where I'm going So, Chorus: Take a shower and shine your shoes You got no time to lose, you're a young man you must be living Take a shower and shine your shoes You got no time to lose, you're a young man you must be living Go now, you are forgiven Verse 2: But the men stood fast with their guns on their shoulders Not knowing what to do with the contradicting orders The general said he would do his own duty, but he would extend it no further The men could go as they pleased But not a man moved, their eyes gazed straight ahead 'Til one by one they stepped back and not a word was said And the old general was left with his own words echoing in his head He then prepared to fight He said Bridge: I have seen the others, and I have discovered That this fight is not worth fighting And I've seen their mothers, and I will no other To follow me where I'm going So, Chorus: Take a shower and shine your shoes You got no time to lose, you're a young man you must be living Take a shower and shine your shoes You got no time to lose, you're a young man you must be living Go now, you are forgiven Bridge 2: Go now you are forgiven Go now you are forgiven Go now you are forgiven Go Go now you are forgiven Go now you are forgiven Go now you are forgiven Go Go now you are forgiven Go now you are forgiven Go now you got to be, got to be, got to be, got to be, got to be Yeah