Little Soldiers
The sign said Orle Brown & Son on each side of our mailbox
He painted it the day that I was born
He had me on the tractor before I was 8 years old
I remember how his hands were scarred and worm

There was never what you'd call bad blood between us
Neither of us ever did the other harm
But I never seemed to want to learn much from him
Always knew I wouldn't stay and take the farm

But I had to look away when they came and told me that Dad was gone

I couldn't look them in the eye
I didn't want their arms around me
I didn't need their words of comfort
I didn't need to hear their lies

Little soldiers never cry
Little soldiers don't complain
Little soldiers don't ask why
Little soldiers take the pain
Little soldiers never cry
Little soldiers always try
To be good little soldiers
Me and Wilbur Otterwell we'd bought the store together
We figured in 10 years we'd own the town
We'd known each other since that day in Mrs. Kirk's grade 3
When I'd helped him when the Letz twins had him down

You'd never think that much could come between us
We were friends the way men are supposed to be
Right up until that day he found her earrings in my office
And I knew that that was it for him and me

But I had to look away when he came and told me we were finished

I couldn't look him in the eye
I still felt her arms around me
I still heard her words of comfort
I still heard my own lies


Little soldiers never cry
Little soldiers don't complain
Little soldiers don't ask why
Little soldiers take the pain
Little soldiers never cry
Little soldiers always try
To be good little soldiers
[Instrumental]

I watched my wife walk with him out the driveway
As I checked for calls on my machine
First day of school, my little soldier waiting for the bus
I smiled at the sentimental scene

She asked me, did you notice he was crying?
He hardly touched his cereal at all
Did you know that he was sick last night, just after you got in
I think he must have barely slept at all

And do you suppose she looked away when he went and told her just how scared he was

Or did she look him in the eye
Did she put her arms around him
Did she offer words of comfort
Or did she tell him lies


Little soldiers never cry
Little soldiers don't complain
Little soldiers don't ask why
Little soldiers take the pain
Little soldiers never cry
Little soldiers always try
To be good little soldiers

Little soldiers never cry
Little soldiers don't complain
Little soldiers don't ask why
Little soldiers take the pain
Little soldiers never cry
Little soldiers always try
To be good little soldiers