Johnny can't drink 'cause Johnny ain't twenty one
Yeah, but he's eighteen and he's pretty handy with a gun..
They sent him off to a foreign land
Gave him a new pair of boots and thirteen grand
And he came back home with American blood on his hands..
George is a real go getter and he's runnin' the show..
And he should have known better but his old man told him to go.
He sits at home with his feet on his desk
While the boys got their's in the sand
A million miles away with American blood on their hands.
Johnny can't walk but the medic says he's okay to fly
And the newspaper tell us he's a hero and a hell of a guy
They sent him up to Washington -for a photo op with a smoking gun
He's got a purple heart and American blood on his hands.
Black gold for silver stars, cold hard cash for armored cars
The brass ain't fightin' but they're sure as hell taking a stand
And they'll have to live with American blood on their hands
And now George stands up on a boat proudly waving the flag
He says the hard part's over and we knew it wouldn't be so bad
But roadside bombs and six long years were never really part of the plan
What's a couple thousand more with American blood on their hands
Black gold for silver stars, cold hard cash for armored cars
The brass ain't fightin' but they're sure as hell taking a stand
And they'll have to live with American blood on their hands
And now Johnny can drink all day 'cause he's twenty three
He donated his legs to the worldwide land of the free
He cries God bless America but goddamn uncle Sam
While he stares through the tears with American blood on his hands,
While he stares through the tears with American blood on his hands..
Black gold for silver stars, cold hard cash for armored cars
The brass ain't fightin' but they're sure as hell taking a stand
And they'll have to live with American blood on their hands
Yeah, but he's eighteen and he's pretty handy with a gun..
They sent him off to a foreign land
Gave him a new pair of boots and thirteen grand
And he came back home with American blood on his hands..
George is a real go getter and he's runnin' the show..
And he should have known better but his old man told him to go.
He sits at home with his feet on his desk
While the boys got their's in the sand
A million miles away with American blood on their hands.
Johnny can't walk but the medic says he's okay to fly
And the newspaper tell us he's a hero and a hell of a guy
They sent him up to Washington -for a photo op with a smoking gun
He's got a purple heart and American blood on his hands.
Black gold for silver stars, cold hard cash for armored cars
The brass ain't fightin' but they're sure as hell taking a stand
And they'll have to live with American blood on their hands
And now George stands up on a boat proudly waving the flag
He says the hard part's over and we knew it wouldn't be so bad
But roadside bombs and six long years were never really part of the plan
What's a couple thousand more with American blood on their hands
Black gold for silver stars, cold hard cash for armored cars
The brass ain't fightin' but they're sure as hell taking a stand
And they'll have to live with American blood on their hands
And now Johnny can drink all day 'cause he's twenty three
He donated his legs to the worldwide land of the free
He cries God bless America but goddamn uncle Sam
While he stares through the tears with American blood on his hands,
While he stares through the tears with American blood on his hands..
Black gold for silver stars, cold hard cash for armored cars
The brass ain't fightin' but they're sure as hell taking a stand
And they'll have to live with American blood on their hands
inviata da giorgio - 3/2/2013 - 11:25
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Lyrics & Music by Willy Braun
Album: Bulletproof
"American Blood" is a song by Texan Red Dirt band Reckless Kelly, for their fifth 2008 studio album, Bulletproof.
When writing the song, lead singer Willy Braun "knew some people were not going to like it". He pleads, however, that people understand that "is not an attack on them or their sons and daughters in the military, but an attempt to shed light on the cold hard truth that not everything about this war makes sense". He also comments that "there are some people in Washington making a lot of money on this war at the expense of the 30,000+ American soldiers who have been killed or injured on the frontlines."
Nick Spitzer, host of the radio program American Routes, said "'American Blood' could be the song that legitimizes critiquing America while loving the country." About the song's meaning, Allmusic notes that "People end up endlessly disappointed and frustrated when encountering the paradox of who their nation says they are and what the nation is in and of itself". On American Blood, CMT says "Reckless Kelly isn't afraid to speak out, however this may be taken. American Blood has such lyrics as 'Johnny can't drink 'cause Johnny ain't 21/But he's 18 and pretty handy with a gun.'"
American Blood received an honorable mention in the "Americana" section of the International Songwriting Competition.