Downtown Baghdad Blues

Got a buddy in Najaf, he's playing it straight
Prays to the Lord Jesus Christ every night
Got a homey in Samarra goin' up the wall
Every time he hear an Islamic prayer call
Me, I don't care much for Jesus or Mohammed
They don't stop bullets to the best of my knowledge
Later for the both of you, catch you in eternity
Hopefully, towards the end of this century

I didn't want to come here, I didn't get to choose,
I got the hup, two, three, four Downtown Baghdad Blues.

I wish I was back home rootin' for the Padres
'Stead of dodgin' bullets from Mookie El Sadr
I wish I was back in the land of Giuliani
Instead of takin' heat from Ayatollah Sistani
Don't know what I'm doin,' but one thing is clear
Twenty years old, I can kill but I can't buy a beer
Keep your head down, don't get your brain cells fried
You'll be home by Christmas - dead or alive!

I wish I was back in the US of A
Instead dodgin' rockets in Falluji-ay
There's a lady with my tattoo on her so special
Dream of her and me out in the desert
She ridin' round in her Daddy's Ford Explorer
I'm kickin' in doors, hey, I thought this war was over
Got sand in my nose, sand in my eyes
But the sand can't cover up the sights of a
Sniper with my number, got his finger on the trigger
Hope my baby's okay, still waitin' for a letter
All I get are emails, so much unsaid
It's hot here, baby, but it's so cold inside my head.

Mission accomplished, yeah, up on deck
Got no armor for my Humvee, left facin' this train wreck
Shia don't like me, want Islamic Revolution
Sunni say civil war is part of the solution
Maybe someday there'll be peace in Fallujah
McDonald's on the boulevard, Cadillac cruisin'
I'm tryin' hard to keep this whole thing straight
But will someone tell me what am I doin' here in the first place?

© Starry Plough Music (BMI)