ballad of balad

i quit school in the 10th grade and i grew out my hair, i got me a job doin' lawnmower repair, i met an army recruiter down at the winn dixie, he said "son you've no future, pack up and go with me", the first place we landed was a base called balad, they convoyed our asses to a 10 acre f.o.b. with my boots and my cover and an old m16, two bottles of water and a cold m.r.e. oh you'll meet lots of new friends and you're sure to get paid, we'll show you the world and we'll teach you a trade, it's not a job, it's an adventure, oh yes sir i got that, ah but you never told me i'd get my ass shot at, you never told me i'd get my ass shot at, the first night in combat we went out on patrol, they ambushed our convey and we chased the asshole, we found them all hidin' in low water ditches, and we took aim and killed all them son of a bitches, walked in on my buddy with a female m.p. the ugliest woman you ever did see, he said "why are you laughin', you got lots of nerve", over here in the desert we grade on the curve, ah you'll meet lots of new friends and you're sure to get paid, we'll show you the world and we'll teach you a trade, it's not a job, it's an adventure, oh yes sir i got that, ah but you never told me i'd get my ass shot at, oh you never told him he'd get his ass shot at