I meant to ask you how to fix that car I always meant to ask you about the war And what you saw across the bridge too far Did it leave a scar? Or how you navigated rings of fire and steel Up where Heaven had no more secrets to conceal And still you found the ground beneath your wheels How did it feel? CHORUS Bang the drum slowly Lay the pipes lowly In dust lead to air In dust we begin Bang the drum slowly I speak of things holy Above and below me A world without end I meant to ask you how in everything seemed lost And your fate was game of dust they tossed
There was still that land that you would never cross At any cost I meant to ask you how you lived, what you believed Had everything but your heart up your sleeve And if you ever, ever really were deceived My the likes of me CHORUS Gone, now, is the day that brought the Sun There is peace tonight all over Arlington That the song of my life will still be sung By the light of the new year hum I meant to ask you how to plow that field Meant to bring you water from the well And be the one beside you when you fell How could you tell? CHORUS CHORUS