Ron Ward's Strange Machine - Gone Native (feat. Doug Kidder on Slide) Lyrics

Well I left home when I was nineteen and headed out to Texas
To join the U.S. Air Force in the hopes it would protect us
I lit off, way out West to California
To study at the DLI with a language specialty
Well I learned to speak Vietnamese as if it was a given
I also learned to drink their booze and take their women swimmin
They flew me out to Washington, up in the great Northwest
And dropped me off out in the woods and said"Hey do your best!"
We learned how to live off the land and make it out alive
And which part of the snake to eat, and roast some rabbit's eyes
Then I flew out to Japan on a C-141
To fight the f*ckin' Cold War, which we had not yet won
I was on an aircrew and when we weren't drinkin' beer
We were all brothers in arms and very good missioneers
Then they flew my sorry ass on out to Vietnam
To search for POWs and bones that might be found
I did my job and found some bones
But fell prey to the shrew
Cause then I had another wife
And called her number two
Well that one was a train wreck
It was plain to see
And so I sent her packin
And now have number three
I eat noodle soup for breakfast
Chickens feet at night
And I only drive a Vespa
Though we still drive on the right
Well, I worked my ass off long enough
To do this if I want
Cause if I was a lazy man
I'd still be in the swamp
It's been twenty and five years now
That I've lived here in the Nam
They say that I've gone native
Though I don't think I am
Well, long as I've this passport
I'll be livin' free
To stay here and enjoy my life
So please just let me be