Verse
D Bm7 D/C# Bm7 A Em7
He came home to Tennessee, young man at the end of forty five
A D
Only one of seven men in his platoon that made it back a- live
Bm7 D/C# Bm7 A Em7
And he must've seen some tough things, but he never said too much 'bout all that
A Em7 A D
Put his pictures and his memories in our cedar chest, everything but his old army hat
D Bm7 D/C# Bm7 A Em7
By the time that I was born, the winds of change had swept a- cross our land
A D
They were burning flags and draft cards when they bothered to take some kind of stand
Bm7 D/C# Bm7 A Em7
Now we used to laugh at grandpa like he was some old relic from the past
A Em7 A D
'Cause he never left the house unless he was wearing that funny looking worn out army hat
Chorus
G D
Every eye was on him, anytime when he went anywhere
A D
They whispered and they pointed, but you could tell my grandpa didn't care
G D
"I ain't wearing this for them", he'd say, "It's a whole lot more than that
Em7
For my buddies who gave everything
A Em7 A D Bm7 D/C# Bm7 A
The least that I can do is keep on wearing this old army hat"
D Bm7 D/C# Bm7 A Em7
He called me up one morning, said he'd seen it on the news on his TV
A D
"They've opened up a monument to World War II in Washington
Bm7 D/C# Bm7 A Em7
"I ain't getting any younger and I wish someone would take me to see that"
A
And I couldn't help but think they're gonna laugh at you up there
D A D
If you show up in that silly army hat
D Bm7 D/C# Bm7 A Em7
Two strangers, both sa- lute as grandpa walked up to the monu- ment
A D
One said, "Thank you soldier, for the job well done," the other said, "A- -men"
Bm7 D/C# Bm7 A Em7
And a young boy told him, " Sir, my daddy went to war and didn't make it back
A Em7 A D
Could you take a picture standing here beside me and maybe let me wear your army hat"
Chorus
G D
Every eye was on him, there was not a dry one in the crowd
A D
They whispered and they pointed as my grandpa stood up extra tall and proud
G D
And he told him, "Son, just keep it" when the young boy tried his best to give it back
Em7 A Em7 A D
"You're a brave little soldier and every soldier needs his very own au- thentic army hat"
Em7 A
"For your daddy who gave everything the least that I can do
Em7 A D D D
Is pass on this old worn out army hat" | x 7