09 Civilian Ways
Rancid Lyrics

I hold the cold steel of my rifle
As an active soldier, I carry my rifle with me everywhere, even in my dreams.

As I dream of foreign lands
I often think of the foreign lands I have been deployed to and imagine what they are like when I am not there.

And I promise myself
I make a pledge to myself that I will cherish every moment that I can of my deployment.

I will cherish every moment I can
I will hold close the memories that I make while in a foreign and unfamiliar environment.

But there's ghosts that follow me around
I am haunted by memories of all the terrible things I have witnessed while deployed.

Everywhere I am
These memories follow me even when I have left the location of my deployment.

When I say goodbye, I try to be strong
When it is time to leave, I attempt to maintain a sense of fortitude and bravery during my farewell.

Now I'm going back to the U.S. Where I belong
My tour is finally over, and I am returning to my homeland.

I ain't never alone, the war seems to follow me home
Even when I am not on the battlefield, I still feel the effects of the war and the memories that haunt me.

No longer an active soldier, when I walk down the street
Since I am no longer actively deployed, I can walk the streets without my weapon.

I'm shaking hands with everyone that I meet
I take the opportunity to make connections with others and engage in friendly greetings with those around me.

And I watch everyone wondering what they see
I am curious about how others view me and wonder if anybody can comprehend the experiences I have had overseas.

Civilian ways are now what's foreign to me
I have become so accustomed to living and functioning as a soldier that civilian life feels unfamiliar and strange to me.

I came off a long tour, I left this place in two or three
After months or years of military service and deployment, I am finally returning to civilian life in the United States.

May we never forget the sacrifices my friends made for me
I hope that people continue to remember and honor the bravery and sacrifices of my fellow soldiers.

I live in Marysville, out on the county line
I reside in Marysville, which is situated away from any major cities, almost in rural land.

And my brother and my mother both visit me all the time
My close family members make a point to visit me frequently and offer me support.

And visions of you are always running right through my mind
I cannot help but think of someone special who may be waiting for me at home, and I hold onto the idea of reuniting with them.

We always talk about what we're gonna do when the war is won
I participate in conversations with loved ones about what we will do once the war is over and I am no longer deployed.

We're gonna fix up them old cars and ride them into the sun
One of the things I look forward to is spending time with family and friends, repairing cars, and driving them in the sun.

When I heard you're no longer with us, man, I was done
When I found out that someone close to me had passed away while I was deployed, I was deeply affected and felt hopeless.

May we never forget the sacrifices my friends made for me
I want to make sure that people always remember and appreciate the sacrifices that my fellow soldiers made.

May we never forget the sacrifices my friends made for me
It is important to me that people continue to remember and honor the courageous individuals who fought and perished for our country.

May we never forget the sacrifices my friends made for me
I hope that the sacrifices of my comrades are never forgotten and that future generations always respect and honor the sacrifices of our fallen soldiers.