You gave a gift to me In my young age You sent me overseas And put the fear in me And I ask what for now Why me, why war? And I ask what for now Vietnam War? Spent my time there by the shore Oh we got off that boat Charlies everywhere A lotta killin' and dyin' And no one seems to care I ask what for now We say hell no And I ask what for Why me, why war? And I spent my time there by the shore Sixty thousand men died While you were here You came into our homes And you took our kids And you ask for more now For this new war And you ask for more now Vietnam War I spent my time there by the shore