Well I used to hang out down at the VFW hall
And stare at the photographs up on the wall
Of the neighborhood boys that died in
The wars we've been through
And the hand lettered sign that
Said remember Jimmy McGrew
Well Jimmy went to Nam back in 1965
But there's a lot of men here
That think Jimmy McGrew's still alive
Though they carved his name on
A stone in Washington DC his brother said
That stone doesn't prove a thing to me

It's veteran's day and the skies are gray
Leave the uniforms home because there isn't
Going to be a parade
But we'll fill up a glass for the
Ones that didn't make it through
And leave a light in the
Window tonight for Jimmy McGrew

There's a hot rain falling on
The back streets of Saigon
There's an old soldier stumbling down
The alley with his mama
Lord his eyes are cloudy and his
Arms are black and blue
He's just hanging by a thread and
He looks like Jimmy McGrew

Copyright: BMG Rights Management
Writer(s): Tom Russell