He kissed his wife and grabbed his keys Same thing he’s done ten thousand times Little hands wrapped around his leg “Daddy, will you be home tonight?” He smiled and said, “I’ll do my best” But deep inside he knows the truth Every shift could be the one That takes him from the ones he loves Some people curse the uniform Some politicians want it gone But when the worst day finally comes Guess who they still call on I’ve stood beside a mother crying Tried to find the words somehow There ain’t no training in this world For telling her her child’s gone now And every siren screams a prayer Every badge carries a cost And every officer knows one day A brother or sister could be lost So if you see the men and women in blue Remember they’re human too They miss birthdays and holidays And bleed red white and blue They run toward danger when we run away Stand the line so we can sleep safe And sometimes all that’s left behind Is black tape on a badge And there ain’t a pain that cuts this deep Like folding up a fallen friend’s flag Or placing your hand across your heart Looking at black tape on your badge So before you judge what you don’t understand Walk one night in their boots Carry every scar and memory And see if it changes you Because they don’t do it for the paycheck Or glory or applause They do it because somebody has to No matter what the cost So tonight when they walk out that door Pray they all make it home Back to the families waiting up Scared to answer the phone For every life they try to save And every sacrifice they’ve had God bless the men and women in blue And the black tape on the badge Yeah, God bless the men and women in blue And the black tape on the badge
