We got sixteen men wearing bulletproof vests,
All huddled inside a machinegun nest,
Didn't think you'd go there when you joined the marines,
Well, there's some things a young man shouldn't have seen.

We got sent and spent shells in the burning sand,
You're putting big holes in the holy land,
Well, you're going on forty, but you're just nineteen,
And there's some things a young man shouldn't have seen.

Shoot them up and shoot them down tonight,
A story here for every flight,
Keep their spirits up, good news back home,
Tell another lie, pretend we won.

Where the poison sand get a burning well,
Your chemical suit is hotter than hell,
You got a devil doll cut and an M-16,
Well, there's some things a young man shouldn't have seen.

You know everything that the good book say,
You read a page or two every day,
Think about things that are pure and clean,
But how could you ever, with the things you've seen'

Didn't think you'd come here when you joined the marines,
Some things a young man shouldn't have seen,
Going on forty, but you're just nineteen,
Some things a young man shouldn't have seen,
Devil doll cut and an M-16,
Some things a young man shouldn't have seen,
Think about things that are pure and clean,
Some things a young man shouldn't have seen,
(fade)