Compulsory Hero (1927)

Remember the times when we were kids Playing war games in your yard Everybody had to be a hero and get one in the heart Night would fall and we'd call a truce And all go home Years went by we were average guys playing life by the rule of thumb Till a man came on the TV Talking 'bout war like he wanted one He said "Everybody line up, backs to the wall till your numbers called" You've gotta go and be a hero I've got a new game for all you boys Its war without a choice Compulsory hero Just try and make it home Grandpa heard the call to all For a war to end all wars And your dad went off to do his bit and he had to go one more You, you've got no say in it You've got to fight And that's the law You've gotta go and be a hero They made a law that you had to go fight One more crazy war Compulsory hero Just try and make it home So all that had to be heroes Went off to do their chores None of them really would have known How far a bloody war goes they're dying to make it home Then I think back on all those times Playing war games in your yard Everybody had to be a hero Back then that wasn't hard Night would fall on the battle zone And we could all go home You had to go and be a hero They made a law that you had to go and fight One more crazy war compulsory hero Just try and make it home Just try and make it home But whose gonna make it home