19 by Paul Hardcastle

In 1965
Vietnam seemed like just another foreign war
But it wasn't
It was different in many ways
As so were those who did the fighting
In World War two
The average age of the combat soldier was twenty six
In Vietnam, he was nineteen
I-I-I-In Vietnam, he was nineteen
I-I-I-In Vietnam, he was nineteen
I-I-I-In Vietnam, he was nineteen
Ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen
The heaviest fighting of the past two weeks
Continued today twenty five miles northwest of Saigon
I really wasn't sure what was going on
Ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen, nineteen, nineteen
Ni-nineteen, nineteen

In Vietnam
The combat soldier typically served
A twelve month tour of duty
But was exposed to hostile fire almost everyday
Ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen (nineteen)
Ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen (nineteen)
Ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen (nineteen)
Ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen (nineteen)

In Saigon, a US miltary spokesman said today
More than seven hundred twenty troops
Were killed last week
In that sensitive border area
In all of South Vietnam
The enemy lost a total of
Two thousand six hundred and eighty nine soldiers

All those who remember the war
They won't forget what they've seen
Destruction
Of men in their prime
Whose average age was nineteen
De-de-de-des-des-destruction

De-de-de-des-des-destruction

According to a Veteran's Administration study
Half of the Vietnam combat veterans suffered
From what psychiatrists call
Post traumatic stress disorder
Many vets complain of alienation, rage, or guilt
Some succumb to suicidal thoughts
Eight to ten years after coming home
Almost eight hundred thousand men
Are still fighting the Vietnam War

None of them received a hero's welcome

Nineteen
Saigon, Saigon, Sa-Sa-Sa-Saigon
Saigon, Sa-Sa-Sa-Sa-Sa-Sa-Sa-Saigon
Nineteen (ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen)
Ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen
Nineteen (ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen)
Ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen

Vietnam (Sa-Sa-Sa-Saigon)
Vietnam (Sa-Sa-Sa-Saigon)
Vietnam (Sa-Sa-Sa-Saigon)
Vietnam (Sa-Sa-Sa-Saigon)
Purple heart (Saigon)
Purple heart (Sa-Sa-Saigon)
I really wasn't sure what was going on
I really wasn't sure what was going on