Verse 1
Oh, what a lovely little story that they sold to me,
A shiny badge, a noble cause, a chance to be somebody.
They dressed it up in honor and a patriotic glow,
Funny how the darkest parts were things I'd never know.
Smile for the picture, raise your hand, repeat the lines,
Trade your doubts for discipline and leave yourself behind.
Everybody's cheering while you're stepping through the gate,
Nobody's around when you discover what it takes.
Pre-Chorus
They said, "Trust us, son, you'll understand."
Now I'm choking on the smoke and sand.
Chorus
Oh, bless my soul, what a beautiful disguise,
Wrapped me in a uniform and fed me pretty lies.
Said I'd be a hero, said I'd make them proud,
Now I'm screaming at the ghosts that gather in the crowd.
What a perfect little plan, what a clever little scheme,
Turn a kid into a weapon and call it chasing dreams.
Verse 2
The recruiters wore their halos, politicians wore their smiles,
Never saw them walking through the blood for all those miles.
They love to talk of sacrifice from safely far away,
While somebody else's child is paying every day.
I learned that every promise has a price beneath the paint,
And every saint on television probably ain't a saint.
Now the flag don't hit the same when I see it wave around,
Too many names are buried underneath that sacred ground.
Pre-Chorus
They said, "Trust us, son, you'll understand."
Now I finally think I can.
Chorus
Oh, bless my soul, what a beautiful disguise,
Wrapped me in a uniform and fed me pretty lies.
Said I'd be a hero, said I'd make them proud,
Now I'm screaming at the ghosts that gather in the crowd.
What a perfect little plan, what a clever little scheme,
Turn a kid into a weapon and call it chasing dreams.
Bridge
So here's a toast to all the speeches, all the hollow praise,
All the men who sent us out and never saw those days.
You can keep your medals, keep your headlines, keep your fame,
None of it can give me back the person that I came.
Final Chorus
Oh, bless my soul, what a beautiful disguise,
The truth looks awful different when you've seen behind the eyes.
You sold me on a future, you delivered something else,
Now I'm picking up the pieces by myself.
What a perfect little plan, what a clever little scheme,
Turn a kid into a weapon and call it chasing dreams.
