Joined the service out of school in the year of '69
When the Doors were ridin' on the storm, Hendrix was alive
And before I could blink an eye, I was sent to Vietnam
To teach them people democracy
Jesus, what a laugh.

All across the highlands, we moved in single file
Lookin' for them Vietcong, I musta crawled a 1000 miles
But I'd only one thought on me mind,
'Twas your eyes of emerald green
My love is in New York, oh she's the only one for me

I learned to smoke the opium pipe, I learned it all too well
Coz when the shells are bangin' in your ears
It stops that livin' hell
Then one night 6 months later
While in the DMZ
Me own dear U.S. Air Force blew the hell right out of me

Still I loved my country
I saluted the old flag
When you're a boy from Woodside, Queens
You give it all you have
'Cause I knew you'd be there waitin'
With your eyes of emerald green
My love is in New York and she's the only one for me

But when I got sent home at last, they jeered and spat at me
They called me a fascist, said I was the enemy
I could've put up with all of that
'Twas no big thing to me
But you killed me with one look of disgust
From those emerald greens

Now I sit down here on Broadway, this pavement is me home
The war is long forgotten, for those who stayed at home
And I wish I had me opium pipe
To stop that livin' hell
That's goin' on inside me head, I wish it all so well
And the Doors still ride by on the storm
Hendrix hides from Joe
I should be history around here but where else is there to go
Coz I know you're out there somewhere,
With your eyes of emerald green
My love is in New York, oh sh