Tom Flannery Gino Merli
Does the Lord need a soldierwith boots upon the ground
standing firm behind his gun
when duty makes not a sound
figthing for his buddies
and for his hatred of war
so others can lay their heads down
and dream forever more
Gino won't you say the pledge of allegiance
won't you lead us one more time
may your hand be steady and your heart still strong
and may your strength be mine
may your strength be mine
Does the Lord need a soldier
from a boy into a man
and back again according
to someone else's plan
does blood spilled on battlefields
on European soil
cause faith to press back inward
like a rifle shot's recoil
Gino won't you say the pledge of allegiance
won't you lead us one more time
may your hand be steady and your heart still strong
and may your strength be mine
may your strength be mine
We know the answer to that question
in Gino Merli's eyes
from small town Pennsylvania
where it's still a sin to tell a lie
when Hitler said 'who'll stop me?'
Gino said.....'it may be true
I may only be a miner's son but
I'll take on the likes of you'
Gino won't you say the pledge of allegiance
won't you lead us one more time
may your hand be steady and your heart still strong
and may your strength be mine
The greatest generation
they've been subsequently called
now blowing away like dry leaves
at the bitter end of fall
with a chestfull of medals
he came home to pray
when the Lord needed a soldier
Gino Merli led the way
Gino won't you say the pledge of allegiance
won't you lead us one more time
may your hand be steady and your heart still strong
and may your strength be mine
We know the answer to that question
in Gino Merli's eyes
from small town Pennsylvania
where it's still a sin to tell a lie
when Hitler said 'who'll stop me?'
Gino said.....'it may be true
I may only be a miner's son but
I'll take on the likes of you'
Gino won't you say the pledge of allegiance
won't you lead us one more time
may your hand be steady and your heart still strong
and may your strength be mine