Rich Man?s War
By Steve Earle
October 2004
Jimmy joined the army ?cause he had no place to go
There ain?t nobody hirin? ?round here since all the jobs went down to Mexico
Reckoned that he?d learn himself a trade maybe see the world
Move to the city some day and marry a black haired girl
Somebody somewhere had another plan
Now he?s got a rifle in his hand
Rollin? into Bagdhad wonderin? how he got this far
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man?s war
Bobby had an eagle and a flag tattooed on his arm
Red white and blue to the bone the day he landed in Kandahar
Left behind a pretty young wife and a baby girl
A stack of overdue bills and went off to save the world
Been a year no and he?s still there
Chasin? ghosts in the thin dry air
Meanwhile back at home the finance company took his car
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man?s war
When will we ever learn
When will we ever see
Stand up and take our turn
Tellin? ourselves we?re free
Ali was the second son of a second son
Grew up in Gaza throwin? bottles and rock when the tanks would come
Ain?t nothin? else to do around here just a game children play
Somethin? about livin? in fear all your life makes you hard that way
He answered when he got the call
Wrapped himself in death and he praised Allah
A fat man in a new Mercedes drove him to the door
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man?s war