Tow days past eighteen   He was waitin' for the bus in his army greens   Sat down in a booth a café there   Gave his order to the girl with a bow in her hair   He's a little shy but she gave him a smile   So he said would you mind sittin' down for a while   And talkin' to me I'm feelin' a little low   She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go   So they went down and sat on the pier   He said I bet you got a boyfriend and I don't care   I've got no one to send my letters 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   My 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      Well the letters came   >From an army camp   In California then Vietnam   And he talked about his heart   It might be love   And all of the things he was so scared of   Said when it's gettin kinda tough over here   I think about that day sittin' down at the pier   And close my eyes I see you pretty smile   Now don't worry but I won't be able to write for a while      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   My 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      One Friday night at a football game   The Lord's Prayer said and the anthem sang   The man said folks bow your heads   For the list of local Vietnam dead   Crying all alone under the stands   Was a piccolo player in the marching band   And one name read and no one really cared   But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair