Two days past eighteen
He was waitin' on a bus in his army greens
Sat down in a booth in a café there
Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
He's a little shy, so she give him a smile
He said, "Would you mind sittin' down for a while
And talkin' to me? I'm feelin' pretty low"
She said, "I'm off in an hour and I know a place we can go"

So they went down and sat on the pier
He said, "I bet you got a boyfriend, but I don't care
'Cause I got no one to send back a letter to
Would you mind if I sent one back here to you?"

I cried, never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him, they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone, when the letter says
"A soldier's coming home"

So the letters came from an army camp
In California, then Vietnam and he told her of his heart
How it might be love, all of the things he was so scared of
He said, "When it's gettin' kinda rough over here
I sit and think about that day on the pier
And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
Don't worry, but I won't be able to write for awhile"

I cried, never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone, when the letter says
"A soldier's comin' home"

One Friday night at a football game
The Lord's prayer said and the anthem sang
And a man said, "Folks, would you bow your heads
For a list of the local Vietnam dead"
Cryin' all alone underneath the stands
Was a piccolo player in the marchin' band
And one name read and nobody really cared
'Cept that pretty little girl with a bow in her hair

I cried, never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him, they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone, when the letter says
"A soldier's comin' home"

When the letter says "A soldier's comin' home"