You were young, you and Shelley lived a quiet life
Raising baby June, paying bills with overtime
Til that call from your man down at the National Guard
Those Devil Dogs could use a hand down in Anbar
Shelley put it to you: "You'd have us believe
We'd be safer with you fighting somewhere overseas?
Baby, call me crazy, ain't we, your family,
All the stability you could ever need?
Ain't that what they mean when they sing
My country tis of thee?"
June's first memory's your first goodbye
Your dress uniform your hero's smile
Each year you'd reappear like dawning light
Bring your little lady's eyes right back to life
You'd ask about summer break and birthday gifts
This way of life you'd missed defending it
And as you gave her that final farewell kiss
Whispered, "Baby girl, remember this
This what we mean when we sing
My country tis of thee"
God, country, family
Don't always come easy
Oh, when these loyalties divide
Will I find you by my side?
Will I? For still I sing
Junie see the flag and she hears your voice
Strong and sad as the days you redeployed
Feels your ribbons against her face
Sees you and Shelley in that desperate embrace
Yeah, she understands sacrifice
Better than a father might have liked
She carries her pain with pride
No matter why you laid down this life
This what she means when she sings
My country tis of thee
Land of memories
So grand and bittersweet
For thee I sing
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