The soldier boy for his soldier's pay   Obeys the sergeant at arms whatever he says   The sergeant will for his sergeant's pay   Obey the captain 'till his dying day      The captain will for his captain's pay   Obey the general order of battle play   The generals bow to the government   Obey the charge you must not relent      What of the neighbors and the prophets in bars?   What are they sayin' in the public bazaar?   We are tired of the tune you must not relent      At every stroke of the bell in the tower there goes   Another boy from another side   The bulletins that steady come in say those   Familiar words at the top of the hour      The jamming city increases its hum   And those terrible words continue to come   Through brass music of government hear those   Guns tattoo a roll on the drums      No one mentions the neighboring war   No one knows what they're fighting for   We are tired of the tune you must not relent      The generals bow to the government   We are tired of the tune you must not relent