The Captain

Now the (A)Captain called me (E)to his bed
He (D)fumbled for my (A)hand
(D)Take these silver (A)bars, he said
I'm (E)giving you com(A)mand.
Command of what, there's (A7)no one here
There's (D)only you and (A)me
All (E)the rest are dead or in retreat
Or (D)with the ene(A)my.

Complain, complain, that's (E)all you've done
(D)Ever since we (A)lost
If (D)it's not the Cruci(A)fixion
Then (E)it's the Holo(A)caust.
May Christ have mercy (A7)on your soul
For (D)making such a (A)joke
Amid (E)these hearts that burn like coal
And the (D)flesh that rose like (A)smoke.

I (A)know that you have (E)suffered, lad
But (D)suffer this aw(A)hile
What(D)ever makes a soldier (A)sad
Will (E)make a killer (A)smile.
I'm (A)leaving, Captain, (A7)I've got to go
There's (D)blood upon your (A)hand
But (E)tell me, Captain, if you know
Of a (D)decent place to (A)stand.

There (A)is no decent place to (E)stand
(D)In a massa(A)cre
But (D)if a woman (A)take your hand
Then (E)go and stand with (A)her.
I left a wife in (A7)Tennessee
And a (D)baby in Sai(A)gon
I (E)risked my life but not to hear
Some (D)country-western (A)song.

Ah, but (A)if you cannot (E)raise your love
To a (D)very high de(A)gree
Then you're (D)just the man I've been (A)thinking of
So (E)come and stand with (A)me.
Your standing days are (A7)done, I cried,
You'll (D)rally me no (A)more
I (E)don't even know what side
We (D)fought on, or what (A)for.

I'm (A)on the side that's (E)always lost
A(D)gainst the side of (A)Heaven
I'm (D)on the side of (A)Snake-eyes tossed
A(E)gainst the side of (A)Seven
And I've (A)read the Bill (A7)of Human Rights
And (D)some of it was (A)true
But (E)there wasn't any burden left
So I'm (D)laying it on (A)you.

Now the (A)Captain he was (E)dying
But the (D)Captain wasn't (A)hurt
The (D)silver bars were (A)in my hand
I (E)pinned them to my (A)shirt