Nineteen The number on his back Voted captain of his high school football team He took us all the way to state Had a scholarship to play down in Tennessee He could run, he could duck He could throw, he could go like you never seen Nineteen On the day those twin towers came down His whole world turned around He told 'em all "ya'll I can't play ball There's a war on now" So he walked right down with a few good men And he joined the Marines At nineteen He's the boy next door Might have carried your bag at the grocery store Now he's somebody's son in a hole With a gun in some foreign land Trying to hold on to his American dreams Nineteen There's a sniper out there In the dark somewhere and a soldier down We need someone who could run Who could duck to go get him out Ain't there one good man who'll raise his hand And take one for the team How 'bout you nineteen He's the boy next door Might have carried your bag at the grocery store Wow he's somebody's son in a hole With a gun in some foreign land Trying to hold on to his American dreams Nineteen Brought him home today With a big parade down on main street Gave him a purple heart, A silver star, a soldier gave a speech Said he could run, he could duck He could throw, he's the one who rescued me Said he could have played for Tennessee Nineteen He was nineteen