It was hard for him to get out of bed
When the phone rang sleepy eyed she said
Charlie's drunk again
Why don't you just let it ring?

Through the years he'd always picked it up
For the guy who came back and saved his butt
What they have in common is a brotherhood
So few could understand

They were forged by fire
Hard times you get beyond
Give you an unbreakable bond

Forged by fire
When you pray to God, beat the odds
And you walk through hell together
You're forever forged by fire

The young GI said from his VA bed
Why you wanna hang out with us broken men
While you could be spending your time
With your family and friends

He told him son, you're family too
I see myself when I look at you
In a place and time you don't forget

So even though we've just met

We're forged by fire
Hard times you get beyond
Give you an unbreakable bond

Forged by fire
When you pray to God, beat the odds
And you walk through hell together
You're forever forged

He said goodbye GI, see you next week
He rolls himself out to the street
Pretty hard for him to get up in that van
And throw the wheelchair in the back

He was headed home ready to unwind
When Charlie called, can you help me one more time?
He said Chuck, I'll be there on the double
For a brother, it's no trouble

When you're forged by fire
Hard times you get beyond
Iraq, Korea or [Incomprehensible]

Forged by fire
From Iwo Jima to Afghanistan
We're talking about the American fighting man

Forged by fire, forged by fire
Forged by fire, forged by fire