[Verse 1]
Pulled up slow to that gravel drive
My boots hit down on the home-state side
Sand still stuck in this duffel bag
Dust on the truck, stars on the flag
Granddad’s porch light burned all night
Screen door creaked and he held me tight
“Boy, you grew up while you were gone”
He laughed and said, “C’mon inside, sit down”
[Chorus]
We cracked that old brown bottle
He’d been savin’ since ’75
Said, “I was waitin’ on you, soldier
To walk back in here alive”
Raised one glass for the fallen
One more for makin’ it through
Back porch and bourbon
And this old man sittin’ with you
[Verse 2]
His hands still shake when he strikes a match
Mine still shake from the things I can’t patch
He poured a little more, looked in my eyes
Said, “Some wars end, some take their time”
Told me stories ’bout his own boots worn
Different flag, same sand, same storm
We didn’t fix all that we’d seen that night
But that burn in my chest felt a little like light
[Chorus]
We cracked that old brown bottle
He’d been savin’ since ’75
Said, “I was waitin’ on you, soldier
To walk back in here alive”
Raised one glass for the fallen
One more for makin’ it through
Back porch and bourbon
And this old man sittin’ with you
[Bridge]
He said, “You ain’t what you did out there
You’re the boy who learned his first prayer
Right here, right here in this yard”
I let one tear fall in my drink
He just stared off and didn’t blink
Like he’d been holdin’ me up from afar
[Chorus]
We cracked that old brown bottle
He’d been savin’ since ’75
Said, “I was waitin’ on you, soldier
To walk back in here alive”
Raised one glass for the fallen
One more for startin’ brand new
Back porch and bourbon
Granddad and freedom
Yeah, that’s all I needed and you