Dear Mom and Dad, the War is done, my task is finally through
But, oh, please Mom, there's something great that I must ask of you
I have a friend, oh, such a friend, he has no home you see
And so, dear Mom, I'd really like to bring him home with me
Dear Son, we don't really mind if someone comes home with you
I'm sure he could stay with us, perhaps a week or two
Dear Mom, there's something you must know, now, please don't be alarmed
My friend in the battle recently was hurt and lost an arm
Dear, Son, don't be afraid to bring him home with you
Your friend can stay and visit for maybe a day or two
But Mother, he's not just a friend, he's like a brother too
And that's why I want him with us and like a son to you
And before you give your answer, Mom, I really don't want to beg
But my friend faught in a battle in which he lost a leg
Dear Son, it hurts so much to say my answer must be 'No'
For Dad and I have no time for a boy who's crippled so
So, months go by and a letter comes, and it says their son has died
And when they read the cause of death, the shock, was suicide
Days later, when the casket came, draped in our country's flag
They saw their son lying there… without an arm… and without a leg.
But, oh, please Mom, there's something great that I must ask of you
I have a friend, oh, such a friend, he has no home you see
And so, dear Mom, I'd really like to bring him home with me
Dear Son, we don't really mind if someone comes home with you
I'm sure he could stay with us, perhaps a week or two
Dear Mom, there's something you must know, now, please don't be alarmed
My friend in the battle recently was hurt and lost an arm
Dear, Son, don't be afraid to bring him home with you
Your friend can stay and visit for maybe a day or two
But Mother, he's not just a friend, he's like a brother too
And that's why I want him with us and like a son to you
And before you give your answer, Mom, I really don't want to beg
But my friend faught in a battle in which he lost a leg
Dear Son, it hurts so much to say my answer must be 'No'
For Dad and I have no time for a boy who's crippled so
So, months go by and a letter comes, and it says their son has died
And when they read the cause of death, the shock, was suicide
Days later, when the casket came, draped in our country's flag
They saw their son lying there… without an arm… and without a leg.
Contributed by Bernart Bartleby - 2016/3/9 - 13:28
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Scritta da Joanne Eckert (?) ed Andrew John Smik, Jr., in arte Doc Williams (1914-2011), countrysinger e band leader originario di Cleveland, Ohio.
In questo brano era accompagnato dalla moglie Jessie Wanda Crupe, in arte Chickie Williams (1919-2007), e dalla sua band, The Border Riders.
Una spoken song piuttosto lacrimevole eppure notevole, visto che molta parte della scena country è sempre stata patriottarda e guerrafondaia… Qui un ragazzo spedito a combattere (in Vietnam) scrive ai genitori chiedendo la loro disponibilità ad accogliere a casa un suo compagno che deve rientrare perché gravemente ferito in battaglia e non ha un posto dove andare. I genitori non sono affatto contenti della cosa e alla fine gli rispondono di no. Poi giunge loro una lettera dai comandi dell’esercito in cui si annuncia la morte del figlio, suicida. Quando il feretro rientra a casa i genitori scoprono gravi ferite di guerra sul suo corpo…
Sul problema del ritorno e del reinserimento dei reduci, specie dei mutilati e degli invalidi, un costo che la guerra riversa sulla società civile e che questa spesso non ha la capacità di accollarsi...