( Bruce Robison ) 
 
 
A5 
Two days past eighteen 

He was waitin' for the bus in his army greens 
D5 
Sat down in a booth at a cafe there 
A5 
Gave his order to the girl with a bow in her hair 

He's a little shy so she gave him a smile 

So he said would you mind sittin' down for a while 
      D5                  A5 
And talkin' to me I'm feelin' a little low 
            G5            D5            A5 
She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go 
 
So they went down and they sat on the pier 

He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care 

I've got no one to send a letter to 

Would you mind if I sent one back here to you? 
 

F#5   D5 
I cried 

Never gonna hold the hand of another guy 
A5 
Too young for him they told her 
E5                         E5 
Waitin' for the love of the travelin' soldier 
F#5 
Our love will never end 
D5 
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again 
A5 
Never more to be alone 
E5            E5                  A5 
When the letter says a soldier's coming home  
 
So the letters came 
From an army camp 
In California then Vietnam 
And he told his heart 
It might be love 
And all of the things he was so scared of 
Said when it's gettin kinda rough over here 
I think about that day sittin' down at the pier 
And close my eyes and see your pretty smile 
Now don't worry but I won't be able to write for a while 
 
CHORUS 
 
One Friday night at a football game 
The Lord's Prayer said and the anthem sang 
A man said folks would you bow your heads 
For the list of local Vietnam dead 
Cryin' all alone under the stands 
Was the piccolo player in the marching band 
And one name read and no one really cared 
But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair 
 
CHORUS