Empty chair up against the bar
A cold beer and a purple heart
A picture of a soldier that I never knew
It's just another vacation day
For most of us on memorial day
But not for that K.I.A. in dress blues

And I got to thinkin' to myself

That's someone's brother, someone's son
A life cut short that just begun
A model soldier, a marine down to the core
He got the call, he did his part
But the part that breaks my heart
He has to rest in peace on some forgotten shore

And maybe I can do a little more
To be an American worth dyin' for

An ice chest and a fishin' pole
A beach blanket and my eight-year-old
He said, "Dad, this is the best day of my life"
I took a breath and I said a prayer
Daddy never goes over there
In that moment, I felt the weight of the sacrifice

That's someone's daughter, someone's son
A life cut short that just begun
I can't go back now to the man I was before
They got the call, they did their part
But the part that breaks my heart
They have to rest in peace on some forgotten shore

And maybe I can do just a little more
To be an American worth dyin' for
Worth dyin' for
Worth dyin' for

They got the call, they did their part
But the part that breaks my heart
They have to rest in peace on some god-forsaken shore

Maybe I can do just a little more
To be an American worth dyin' for
Worth dyin' for
Worth dyin' for

Empty chair up against the bar
A cold beer and a purple heart
Thank you Sergeant Ennis