Readjusment Blues

Just out of the infantry this morning
I had to pay my dues across the sea
But no one back in boot camp ever warned me
What the readjustment blues would do to me
Welcome to Havannah, said the pilot
We must have made a wrong turn on the way
Let's buy some cigars and keep it quiet

If they don't know we're here we'll get away
Just as I had realized he was joking
I saw we were in Washington DC
'Cause there was all the patriotic buildings
Just like I had seen them on TV
It must have been a holiday
'Cause there was this parade
People carried signs I couldn't read that they had made

'Till I got closer and my heart fell to my socks
There was a battle raging and
The air was filled with teargas and rocks
There was the flag I'd fought against so often
The one I fought for hanging upside down
The wind was blowing hard, the dirt was flying
It made the city sky look dark and brown

I saw a girl, she could have been my sister
Except her hair was long and in her face
She explained this was a demonstration
Against the war and for the human race
Now I've seen a lot of strange things in my travels
Cannibals, yes, and aliens galore
But I never thought I'd see so many people
Saying we don't want your war!
The troops all had on uniforms
Just like the one I'd worn

But they were all domestic and my duty chose war
They carried guns just like the ones across the sea
Except this time I was the citizen
And they were pointing their guns at me
Yes, I was just a citizen and
I was walking down the street
And it was just then that the Readjustment Blues
Got through to me