"8th Of November" by Big & Rich (Kenny Alphin/John D. Rich)

Narration

Hello, I'm Kris Kristofferson...On November 8th, 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on Operation Hump, War Zone D, in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1200 VC.  48 American soldiers lost their lives (that day).  Severely wounded and riskin' his own life, Lawrence Joel, a medic, was the first livin' black man since the Spanish-American War to receive the United States Medal Of Honor for savin' so many lives in the midst of battle that day.  Our friend Niles Harris, retired 25 years, United States Army, the guy who gave Big Kenny his top hat, was one of the wounded who lived.  This song is his story.  Caught in the action of kill or be killed, greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for (his brother) (a friend).

1st Verse

Said good-bye to his mama
As he left South Dakota
To fight for the Red, White, and Blue
He was nineteen and green
With a new M-16
Just doin' what he had to do
He was dropped in the jungle
Where the choppers would rumble
With the smell of napalm in the air
Then the sergeant said, 'Look up ahead'
Like a dark evil cloud
1200 came down
On him and 29 more
They fought for their lives
But most of them died
In the 173rd Airborne

Chorus

On the 8th of November
The angels were cryin'
As they carried his brothers away
With the fire rainin' down
And the hell all around
There were few men left standin' that day
Saw the eagle fly through a clear, blue sky
1965
The 8th of November
(The 8th of November) (the 8th of November)

2nd Verse

Now he's 58
And his ponytail's gray
But the battle still plays in his head
He limps when he walks
But he's strong when he talks
'Bout the shrapnel they left in his leg
He puts on a gray suit
Over his Airborne tattoo
And he ties it on one time a year
And remembers the fallen
As he orders a tall one
And swallows it down with his tears

(Repeat Chorus)

Bridge

Saw the eagle fly through a clear, blue sky
1965 (1965)

(Repeat Chorus)

Tag

Said good-bye to his mama
As he left South Dakota
To fight for the Red, White, and Blue
He was nineteen and green
With a new M-16
Just doin' what he had to do

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