There was a decorated general with a heart of gold That likened him to all the stories he told Of past battles won and lost, and legends of old A seasoned veteran in his own time
But on the battlefield, he gained respectful fame With many medals of bravery and stripes to his name He grew a beard as soon as he could to cover the scars on his face And always urged his men on
But on the eve of a great battle with the infantry in dream The old general tossed in his sleep and wrestled with its meaning He awoke from that night to tell what he had seen And walked slowly out of his tent
All the men held tall with their chests in the air With a courage in their blood and a fire in their stare It was a grey morning and they all wondered how they would fare Till the old general told them to go home
He said, “I have seen the others, and I have discovered That this fight is not worth fighting And I’ve seen their mothers And I will no other To follow me where I’m going
So take a shower and shine your shoes, you got no time to lose You are young and you must be living So take a shower and shine your shoes, you got no time to lose You are young and you must be living Go now, you are forgiven”
But the men stood fast with their guns on their shoulders Not knowing what to do with their contradicting orders The general said he would do his own duty but he would extend it no further You can go as you pleased
But not a man moved, their eyes gazed straight ahead Till one by one they stepped back, and not a word was said And the old general was left with his own words echoing in his head He then prepared to fight
He said, “I have seen the others, and I have discovered That this fight is not worth fighting And I’ve seen their mothers And I will no other To follow me where I’m going
So take a shower and shine your shoes, you got no time to lose You are young and you must be living So take a shower and shine your shoes, you got no time to lose You are young and you must be living Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven Go now, you are forgiven Go now, you are forgiven Go
Go now, you are forgiven Go now, you are forgiven Go now, you are forgiven Go, woah
Go now, you are forgiven Go now, you are forgiven Go now, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta… yeah Yeah…”