Stagger

[Chorus] He's just a drunk An old salty dog Stagger, you drink and then fall Unaware that your life is held up against the wall Aching, just dying inside Still you cling on tight to your obstinate pride I knew a man at the end of the bar Wore a look of erosion, some old battle scars Told many stories, none of them bright If you bought him liberations, he spun them all night Started out in Normandy, moved right onto France The battle of Berlin and more veteran partance At the end this generation, not like the last Kids today need to learn from the past [Chorus] Getting to loud barkeeper gives the hook All the patrons laugh so hard the dive nearly shook Into the alley he goes furious and irate Expletives and threats babbled in hate Finally he collapses down to the asphalt Battered mug and lacerations, it's his fault Bystanders tap numbers for the ambulance call Salty dog going for an E.R. haul [Chorus] Salt you stagger away and then fall Continuously stubborn and defiant through it all Vet you'll rattle, bemoan and berate People not backing ideals out of date What he doesn't relize Is he's the enemy of him What he can't see Is he's stuck in yesterday Battle EMT's, they try to help him Inside self imposed defiance, he'd rather swim Inside of him, a crazy death wish [Chorus] I knew a man at the end of the bar With a VFW jacket and some old battle scars Did you hear the news? Stagger's wish came true