When A Soldier Makes It Home Lyrics - Arlo Guthrie

Halfway around the world tonight 

In a strange and foreign land 

A soldier packs his memories 

As he leaves Afghanistan 

And back home, they don't know too much 

There's just no way to tell 

I guess you had to be there 

For to know that war was hell 

And there won't be any victory parades 

For those that's coming back 

They'll fly them in at midnight 

And unload the body sacks 

And the living will be walking down 

A long and lonely road 

Because nobody seems to care these days 

When a soldier makes it home 

They'll say it wasn't easy 

Just another job, well done 

As the government in Kabul falls 

To the sounds of rebel guns 

And the faces of the comrades 

Being blown out of the sky 

Leaves you bitter with the feeling 

That they didn't have to die 

And there won't be any victory parades 

For those that's coming back 

They'll fly them in at midnight 

And unload the body sacks 

And the living will be walking down 

A long and lonely road 

Because nobody seems to care these days 

When a soldier makes it home 

Halfway around the world tonight 

In a strange and foreign land 

A soldier unpacks memories 

That he saved from Vietnam 

Back home they didn't know too much 

There was just no way to tell 

I guess you had to be there 

For to know that war was hell 

And there wasn't any big parades 

For those that made it back 

They flew them in at midnight 

And unloaded all the sacks 

And the living were left walking down 

A long and lonely road 

Because nobody seemed to care back then 

When a soldier made it home 

The night is coming quickly 

And the stars are on their way 

As I stare into the evening 

Looking for the words to say 

That I saw the lonely soldier 

Just a boy that's far from home 

And I saw that I was just like him 

While upon this earth I roam 

And there may not be any big parades 

If I ever make it back 

As I come home under cover 

Through a world that can't keep track 

Of the heroes who have fallen 

Let alone the ones who won't 

Which is why nobody seems to care 

When a soldier makes it home