11th hour's gone nothing's resolved
there's no alternative to becoming involved
strike up the band round up the men
ready to die for nothing
one shred of hope one prayer for peace
one man abandoned he prays for release
he's bound to his code
dishonor is d**h
his heart pounding hatred
with every breath he fights
war's a childrens game
back in the world
he'd be a criminal
he'd be insane
no sleep for days
he sweats when it's cold
he lives for his orders
he does what he's told
no mercy for his enemy
his finger on the trigger of an m-16
the hours grow long
he's bored and alone
he doesn't need no one he's never going home
the system made him who he is those motherf**ers will fear him
he's gone his mind is a waste
he hears it
twenty-one guns
life imitates d**h imitates
twenty-one guns
honor parades accolades a section eight
twenty-one guns
a proud servant
of this grand republic
he got twenty-one guns