The toy soldier in the balcony at the president's address
Gets a standing O and a shiny medal pinned upon his chest
And the politicians smile and wave their hands and wipe their tears
And leave him on the playroom floor to be found again next year
Twenty-two brothers took their lives today
Between the praise and parades and the accolades
They told us, "thank you for your service" on the day we shipped
When we come home broken they don't give a shit
Let the twenty-one guns and the bugler play
Twenty-two brothers took their lives today
Tanks and planes and ships and soldiers lined up on parade
Yeah, the media loves to put its hometown heroes on display
And the pageantry of guns and bombs really looks good on TV
But the fighting doesn't stop, it just moves when you can't see
Twenty-two brothers took their lives today
Between the praise and parades and the accolades
They told us, "thank you for your service" on the day we shipped
When we come home broken they don't give a shit
Let the twenty-one guns and the bugler play
Twenty-two brothers took their lives today
Twenty-two brothers took their lives today
Between the praise and parades and the accolades
They told us, "thank you for your service" on the day we shipped
When we come home broken they don't give a shit
Let the twenty-one guns and the bugler play
Twenty-two brothers took their lives today
Twenty-two brothers took their lives today
Between the praise and parades and the accolades
They told us, "thank you for your service" on the day we shipped
When we come home broken they don't give a shit
Let the twenty-one guns and the bugler play
Twenty-two brothers took their lives today