He'd never been ten miles away from where he was born
When he was called off to that bad war
And he couldn't say the name of where he had to go and fight
He knew that he was fighting, but he didn't know what for
One day as they were waiting for the next man to fall
He asked the sarge how far away is home
It's hard to know just how he felt when the sarge decreed
No matter which way you walk, boy, it'd be towards Tennessee
How he missed those green hills and
Working in the hot fields back home
Longed for his momma to hold him and sing him a song
He tried to hide the tears in his eyes as he laid down to sleep
As far away from home then as far away could be
He made it home and tried real hard to put those days behind
Took a wife and raised a family
Served his country well, but sometimes we forget
Put it all on the line in the name of liberty
In a nursing home ten miles away from where he was born
Sits all day and watches the clock
Talks about a ten foot cross he built out in his yard
Words on the front that read
Prepare to meet thy god
He misses those green hills and plowing in the hot fields back home
Longs for his sweet love who's gone now and left him alone
But he can't hide the tears in his eyes as he lays down to sleep
As far away from home now as far away could be
He can't hide the tears in his eyes as he lays down to sleep
As far away from home as far away can be