Fifteen Troops and What Do You Get?
(Special nod to Merle Travis's original lyrics and
Tennessee Ernie Ford's recording of Sixteen Tons)

Some people say a war is made out of lies
A soldier's made out of warriors' cries
Warriors' cries and blood and guts
Guns you can fire and knives that will cut

You kill fifteen troops, and what do you get?
Another year older and billions in debt
Dick Cheney don't you call me cause I can't go
We bury the dead in a very dark hole

I was caught one morning when the surge came along
I picked up my gun to right all the wrongs
I loaded fifteen troops into boxes of wood
And the General said, well, you done some good

You kill fifteen troops and what do you get?
Another year older and billions in debt
Dick Cheney don't you call me cause I can't go
We bury the dead in a very dark hole

I was caught one morning sweeping IEDs
Snipers were firing at my troops and me
I was trained to save lives by a sergeant at arms
I'm supposed to bring peace with a big dose of harm

You kill fifteen troops and what do you get?
Another year older and billions in debt
Dick Cheney don't you call me cause I can't go
We bury the dead in a very dark hole

If you see me coming better look alive
A lot of troops didn't know when they should dive
One night of horror and one day of death
The air is precious but don't waste your breath

You kill fifteen troops and what do you get?
Another year older and billions in debt
Dick Cheney don't you call me cause I can't go
We bury the dead in a very dark hole

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