[Verse 1]
Two days past eighteen
He was waiting for the bus in his army green
Sat down in a booth in a café there
Gave his order to the girl with the bow in her hair

[Verse 2]
He's a little shy, so she give him a smile
So he said, "Would you mind sittin' down for a while
And talking to me? I'm feeling a little low"
She said, "I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go"

[Verse 3]
So they went down and they sat on the pier
He said, "I bet you got a boyfriend, but I don't care
I've got no one to send my letters to
Would you mind if I sent one back here to you?"

[Chorus]
I cried, never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him, they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
My love will never end, waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Nevermore to be alone
When the letter says her soldier's coming home
[Verse 4]
Well, the letters came from an army camp
In California, then Vietnam
He talked about his heart, it might be love
And all of the things he was so scared of

[Verse 5]
Said, "When it's getting kinda rough over here
I think of that day sittin' down at the pier
And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
Now don't worry, but I won't be able to write for a while"

[Chorus]
I cried, never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him, they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
My love will never end, waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Nevermore to be alone
When the letter says her soldier's coming home

[Refrain]
He's coming home

[Verse 6]
One Friday night at a football game
The Lord's prayer said and the anthem sang
A man said, "Folks, bow your heads
For the list of local Vietnam dead"
[Verse 7]
Crying all alone under the stands
Was a piccolo player in the marching band
And one name read and no one really cared
But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair

[Chorus]
I cried, never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him, they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
My love will never end, waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Nevermore to be alone
When the letter says her soldier's coming home