A Long Way from Home

Lyrics and Music by John E. Schulz
© 2006, all rights reserved

These city streets, they can beat you till you're down
I thought running away from home would be my ticket right out of town.
But you grow up pretty fast, when you're sleeping on the ground.
People that you meet, they're not the kind you'd think you'd see.
Some are angry, some are sick but most are just like me.

And I'm a long way from home, Guess I lost my way.
The wind is blowing cold tonight, and darkness takes another day.
And I wasn't always right, but I wasn't always wrong.
It's not that I'm afraid to fight; it's just that I've been fighting so long.
And I'm a long way from home.

My father said, you can grow to be anything,
President or movie star, just let your dreams take wing.
But when I tried to explain, who I really was inside,
He turned away, called it a lie, slapped me in the face
The man I've loved for all those years, sees my life as some disgrace.

And I'm a long way from home, He choose to walk away
I feel the wind blowing cold tonight, as darkness takes another day,
And I know the he's not right, and I know that I'm not wrong,
It's not that I'm afraid to fight; it's just that I've been fighting so long.
And I'm a long way from home.

Join the Army Reserve; make money for school and career.
One weekend a month my son, soon you'll be an engineer.
But I've been in this war in combat for two years.
Can't believe the things I've seen, can't believe the things I've done.
All for what I can't tell you, I just pick up my pack and gun.

And I'm a long way from home, Guess I lost my way.
The wind is blowing cold tonight, and darkness takes another day.
And this doesn't feel right and it's not where I belong.
It's not that I'm afraid to fight; it's just that I've been fighting so long.
And I'm a long way from home.
I'm a long way from home, and I'm a long way from...

It's not that I'm afraid to fight; it's just that I've been fighting so long.

And I'm a long way from home.