Flesh stripped off from where it had been
Agent orange, interrogating spleen
The smell of napalm was our mourning
Bamboo sharp, a Ho Chi Minh warning.

Surf or fight seemed such a simple choice
Miami draft served, out of depth frat boys
Great expectations, but on the wrong beach
Lessons learned, now our turn to teach.

Death card received, drew the straw hat
Helicopter grenade, village pays for that
Jetty explosion, flip flop vaulters three
Join pilot and crew in virtual cemetery.

Danced to The Stones, took it to the bridge
Attracted spears like magnets to a fridge
Ceiling fan started this operation bungle
Took ill-fated trip, unwanted, into jungle.

(Chorus)

The fuse once lit, there’ll be no disarming
Muddy waters, high death toll, embalming
American graffiti spray canned ‘no return’
Heads on sticks, flamethrower burned National outcry on Pennsylvania Avenue
Suppressed by tear gas, paid for by you
Obvious mistakes, but no lessons learned
Pot smoke excess, no purple heart earned.

Take your Sheen off, an out of our sighter
Pack up your chemical, F5 freedom fighter
Exfoliated leaves, show victory dawning
Your wake up call, Armageddon warning.

Bring in the Hueys, we’ll have you down
Keep your Valkyries, sat on helmets brown
Survived attack, taped but not measured
Booby trapped forest, staked out at leisure.

Fly in Miss Tennessee, and your Suzie Q
Sex-starved marine and paratrooper stew
Lyndon B invasion, plus some antecedents
Lying propaganda, coffin-lined Creedence.

To get your attention, 40,000 body bags
Four gun salutes, and neatly folded flags
The End of the tunnel, there are The Doors
Sayonara USA, you interfering whores.

(The fuse once lit, there’ll be no disarming)

False sympathy for vets, only just begun
Photo evidence of apocalypse, not won
Draped stars n stripes on transporter planes
Foreign policy paranoia, and ill gotten gains.

Unwelcome take down of Yankee standard
In Khmer rouge swamps, US arse-handed
Interference unpopular, no longer in vogue
Posture struck, by an ex-officer, gone rogue.

Apple pie and mom, back home, pampered
Caskets of palm leaves, rubber stampered
Case of beers won, as waves cutback teach
Death from above, over safe to surf beach.

Redacted pages suggest highly-decorated
Colonel disappeared, possibly gone native
Destabilised governments, who don’t CIA
Sowing seeds, leading to world war tres.

(The fuse once lit, there’ll be no disarming)

Was he American or do you get Aussie vibes?
Off piste, mixing with Montagnard tribes
Refused intelligence call to hunt down VC
Tet Offensive, price on head for gallantry.

Torn between the surf and the arc light
Twisted ideals back home, not so bright
Imposition of will, overseas plundered
Show of force, into paddy fields blundered.

Thousands have no stomach for this
The button once pressed, no reverses
No ticker tape skies, no cavalcades
Foreign field crosses, no victory parades.

Smoke screen up a river, chasing Kurtz
Extreme vengeance, unflinching, hurts
Classified as a non-existent mission
Terminate colonel’s command, no contrition.

(The fuse once lit, there’ll be no disarming)

Summary punishment, but hardly insane
Questions orders, machete shoulders blame
Split from programme, a following amassed
An errand boy maybe, but set to outlast.

Saigon, Victor, Charlie, call in B-52 strike
No method, just madness, tell children alike
Burned, decapitated, kicking and screaming
Enforcing policies of politicians scheming.

Killer and lover in the same double bed
A poetic leader, immoral, grave head
Tortuous journey, misjudged the rule bend
That was the buffers, well this is The End.