I saw the flag pass by one day It waved in the breeze A young man saluted it Then slowly stood at ease He was young, tough and proud The kind of man you don’t forget Who stood out in any crowd I thought of all the names Carved in stone I’ll never know All the stories cut too short In places I won’t go How many just like him Have fallen through the years How many died on foreign soil How many mothers’ tears How many planes went down How many died at sea How many were never found They say our freedom is free Our freedom is never free It is never free I heard the sound of a bugle When everything was still It cried across the hill A folded flag A trembling hand A photo pressed in tight A whispered “thank you” to the dark In the hush of porch-light night And I stood there in the doorway With my hand against my heart Thinking how their quiet courage Bought the peace for all of us I bowed my head and prayed God be with the loved ones who are left behind How many just like him Have fallen through the years How many died on foreign soil How many mothers’ tears How many planes went down How many died at sea How many were never found They say our freedom is free Our freedom is never free It is never free So when that flag comes passing by I pray I always see The faces of the ones who fought So folks like us stay free How many just like him Have fallen through the years How many died on foreign soil How many mothers’ tears How many planes went down How many died at sea How many were never found They say our freedom is free Our freedom is never free (oh, can’t you see) Our freedom is never free It is never free
