You were someone's son
And perhaps a brother too
Maybe somewhere in this land
There walks a young one looks like you
Walking with his mother
And walking in your way
To the cemetery in the rain on Memorial Day

[Chorus]
Now the railsplitter's words
will echo throughout the land
And boy scouts and girl scouts
Fifes and drums and marching bands
But twenty-five hundred have still not come home
The only one shall be called the unknown

For sixty-nine hours in that rotunda alone
Mourners passing by through the halls of polished stone
Is your name in Maya's granite
Where the sunlight will play
When the rains are all gone
This Memorial Day

[Repeat Chorus]

We have laid you to rest
Our Vietnam son
Saluted you with medal and flag and twenty-one guns
But we can't give you back the life the war stole away
But perhaps at last some peace this Memorial day

[Repeat Chorus]

© 1984 Words and music by Bruce Pratt