Red Dirt in My Boots

[Verse 1]
He was pouring my coffee
Said, “Son, you’re starin’ at my hands”
These scars like dried-up rivers
Names inked in busted veins
He laughed, but his eyes stayed empty
“Got this one in sixty-eight”
Said, “You ever smell rain on metal?
It’ll drag you back too late”
[Chorus]
I left red dirt in my boots over there
Came home with ghosts in my lungs, in my prayers
I was twenty in the jungle, thought I’d never bleed
Now I’m old at this counter, still stuck in that green
Red dirt in my boots
Red dirt in my boots
[Verse 2]
He said, “They shaved our heads on Monday
By Friday, we forgot our names”
Maps on the wall meant nothing
Once the sky all looked the same
Said, “I wrote my mama letters
All sweat, mud, and cigarette ash
Folded ‘em up with a picture
Hidin’ pills in the bottom of my pack”
[Chorus]
I left red dirt in my boots over there
Came home with ghosts in my lungs, in my prayers
I was twenty in the jungle, thought I’d never bleed
Now I’m old at this counter, still stuck in that green
Red dirt in my boots
Red dirt in my boots
[Bridge]
He said, “We marched through fields that talked back
Trees watched every step we made
I learned how quiet a man can get
When he’s tryin’ to crawl away from fate”
“One night I held my brother’s dog tags
Cold silver in a pool of rust
He asked if we were goin’ home yet
I said ‘Yeah’
and he believed me
Right there in the dust”
[Chorus]
I left red dirt in my boots over there
Came home with ghosts in my lungs, in my prayers
I was twenty in the jungle, thought I’d never bleed
Now I’m old at this counter, still stuck in that green
Red dirt in my boots
(Still feel it when I move)
Red dirt in my boots
(And it don’t wash out)

rap, Gritty blues-alt-rock bed with male vocals: slow-mid tempo, swampy tube-amp guitar and roomy, brushed drums. Verses sit on a moody riff with spoken-word rap cadence, bass pulsing under the vocal. Chorus opens with overdriven power chords, strained melodic singing, and ghostly backing harmonies. Occasional feedback swells and slide guitar licks underline the war memories, final chorus drops to near-acapella before a stark guitar outro., raw, minimal, vocal, emotional, slow, blues, rock