The Oak Ridge Boys - G.I. Joe & Lillie lyrics

He was a streetwise kid from Philly Just 19 in '44 Joined up in Uncle's army Hit the beach and fought a war A decorated hero He never talks about those days Because of guys like G.I. Joe our country's free today She was Woman's Army corp Raised in Carolina dirt Escorting wounded young men home From a burning hell on Earth The first time that she saw him He was broken and alone Lillie fell in love that day When he winked and said Hello And Lillie sang this song to G.I. Joe Let me hold you in my arms handsome soldier Take my hand for we are going home today Let me kiss away your tears Let me pray away your fears I'll stay here with you Till they carry us away They married in the spring All dressed up in army green Took out a loan, bought a home Raised a family The war returned to G.I. Joe in 1965 The old wounds came back to haunt him But Lillie's love kept him alive Now they're living in a veteran's home They've both grown old and gray The medals earned so long ago Now hang there in a case Sometimes she finds him weeping As he lay there in his bed The distant sounds of battle Still echo in his head And Lillie sings this song to G.I. Joe Some day they'll rest in Arlington 'Neath the red, the white and blue Safe in the arms of Jesus When their journey here is through An American love story Not unlike a lot of others Except that G.I. Joe and Lillie Is my father and my mother