Oh, I marched to the Battle of New Orleans / At the end of the early British wars / A young land started growing / The young blood started flowing / But I ain’t a-marching anymore

For I’ve killed my share of Injuns in a thousand different fights / I was there at the Little Big Horn / I heard many men a-lying / I saw many more a-dying / But I ain’t a-marching anymore

It’s always the old to lead us to the wars / Always the young to fall / Now look at all we’ve won with the saber and the gun / Tell me is it worth it all?

For I stole California from the Mexican land / Fought in the bloody Civil War / Yes, I even killed my brothers / And so many others / But I ain’t a-marching anymore

For I marched to the battles of the German trench / In a war that was bound to end all wars / Oh, I must have killed a million men / And now they want me back again / But I ain’t a-marching anymore

It’s always the old to lead us to the wars / Always the young to fall / Now look at all we’ve won with the saber and the gun / Tell me is it worth it all?

For I flew the final mission in the Japanese skies / Set off the mighty mushroom roar / When I saw the cities burning / I knew that I was learning / That I ain’t a-marching anymore

Now the labor leader’s screamin’ when they close the missile plants / United Fruit screams at the Cuban shore / Call it peace or call it treason, call it love or call it reason / But I ain’t a-marching anymore / No, I ain’t a-marching anymore

[By Phil Ochs © Elektra / Universal Music, 1965]