He was a soldier, not much older
Than me, when I was 17
They shipped him off to war
To protect us all from tyranny
He wrote a letter, told his mum
His hidden fear, he said "what am I doing here? Mumma I don't wanna kill, I pray to God I never will, I love you dear..."
And he was fighting for his country, so full of pride but so alone
And he was thinking of his family and the life that he had known
In that instant, life was over
He never came home

They gave him honours, praised the way that he had died
His mum just cried and cried
Her tears of sorrow on the flag
Her tomorrow's never coming back
And he was fighting for his country
Now she is proud but so alone
A broken heart, a vivid memory
A simple cross upon a stone
On that day her life was over
He never came home

Now I'm not saying we're right, they're wrong
I just kinda wish that we all could get along
Count the money, count the cost
Count the precious lives we've lost
If there was no religion
Would there be peace on Earth?
No preaching hatred to the children
What's this all worth?

Soldier we will not forget you
A fallen hero, where you lay
And though we never met you
Thanks for the sacrifice you made
Cos you were fighting for our country
And the life that we all know
God! Why can't this be over
Why can't they all come home?

Yeah they shipped him off to war
And he never came home