We met as soulmates on Parris Island
we left as inmates from an asylum
and we were sharp, as sharp as knives
and we were so gung ho to lay down our lives

We came in spastic like tameless horses
we leftin plastic as numbered corpses
and we learned fast to travel light
our arms were heavy, but our bellies were tight

We had no homefront, we had no soft soap
they sent us Playboy, they gave us Bob Hope
we dug in deep and shot on sight
and prayed to Jesus Christ with all of our might

We had no cameras to shoot the landscape
we passed the hashpipe and played our Doors tapes
and it was dark, so dark at night
and we held on to each other, like brother to brother
we promised our mothers we'd write

And we would all go down together
we said we'd all go down together
yes we would all go down together

Remember Charlie, remember Baker
they left their childhood on every acre
and who was wrong? And who was right?
It didn't matter in the thick of the fight

We held the day in the palm of our hand
they ruled the night...and the night seemed to last
as long as six weeks on Parris Island
we held the coastline, they held the highlands
and they were sharp, as sharp as knives
they heard the hum of our motors, they counted the rotors
and waited for us to arrive

And we would all go down together
we said we'd all go down together
yes we would all go down together

Return to Billy Joel lyrics.
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