Two days past eighteen
  He was waiting for the bus in his army green
  Sat down in a booth in a cafe there
  Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
  He's a little shy so she gives him a smile
  And he said would you mind sittin' down for a while
  And talking to me,
  I'm feeling a little low
  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 got no one to send a letter to
  Would you mind if I sent one back here to you
  
  Chorus: I cried
  Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
  Too young for him they told her
  Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
  Over love will never end
  Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
  Never more to be alone when the letter said
  A soldier's coming home
  
  So the letters came from an army camp
  In California then Vietnam
  And he told her of his heart
  It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of
  He said when it's getting kinda rough over here
  I think of that day sittin' down at the pier
  And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
  Don't worry but I won't be able to write for awhile
  
  [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 a list of local Vietnam dead
  Crying all alone under the stands
  Was a piccolo player in the marching band
  And one name read and nobody really cared
  But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair
  
  [Chorus]
  
  [Chorus]