During the Cold War
My daddy sat at the kitchen table
Smokin' cigarettes
Starin' out the window
During the Cold war
He had grease on his coveralls
And lines beneath his eyes
Where the bombs had fallen
He'd drink a couple a beer 
We'd listen to Johnny Cash on the radio
During the Cold War
We had a one story house
On Mercury and Vine
And the blue glow of the television was on all the time
His head would nod as he'd fall asleep 
My mother would clear the dishes
During the Cold War
We were ten seconds away from blowin' up the world
He'd fix those old machines
And worry 'bout his sons and my mother never drove a car
During the Cold War
And when it finally ended
There was no parade of heroes
There was just a quiet sigh
And life went on 
My mother went away
She never came back again
And things were never the same as they were
During the Cold War