If The War Goes On lyrics

On True Believers (1993) and Portrait: The Very Best of John Schumann (2002)

If The War Goes On (John Schumann)

It was one of those blue and white biscuit tins
With a picture of the queen
And she kept his ribbons
They sent her back in 1943
And a family photo on the beach
He was lifting up their son - 
And a piece of yellow newsprint
With the words
If the war goes on

It was a warm suburban morning
Back in 1968
And a khaki-colored car pulled up
And parked across the gate
MIA or KIA - 
Another soldier gone
And a generation lost in Asia
If the war goes on

The Kokoda trail to the Long Hai hills
For every bullet fired
The desperate drums of mankind
Are humming loudly on the wire
There's oil to drown the ocean
There's fire to drown the sun
How much longer
How much longer

They strapped my brother to an F18
And shot him into the night
Sirens are screaming
Run for cover
Pull that mask on tight
God's on our side
God's on their side 
Covenant's ripped and torn
How much longer
How much longer
If the war goes on

She packed her little son a bag
And strapped it to his back
With some money and some food
In case she didn't make it back
And she pinned a note inside his coat
This little boy's name is Tom
Look after him - please
If the war goes on