And so once again, My dear Johnny, my dear friend And so once again you are fighting us all And when I ask you why You raise your sticks and cry, and I fall Oh, my friend How did you come? To trade the fiddle for the drum You say I have turned Like the enemies you've earned But I can remember All the good things you are And so I ask you please Can I help you find the peace and the star? Oh, my friend What time is this? To trade the handshake for the fist
And so once again Oh, America my friend And so once again You are fighting us all And when we ask you why You raise your sticks and cry and we fall Oh, my friend How did you come? To trade the fiddle for the drum
You say we have turned Like the enemies you've earned But we can remember All the good things you are And so we ask you please Can we help you find the peace and the star? Oh my friend We have all come To fear the beating of your drum