The story behind this song
Twenty years, six different states, more goodbyes than any family should have to count. Moving boxes labeled with a whole life, birthdays sung through static on a screen, anniversaries marked an ocean apart. The uniform did the deploying, but the whole house served — a spouse who learned to fix the furnace alone and kept the porch light burning every single night. The medals tell only a piece of it.
For the one standing down after twenty years — the watch is someone else's now, and the family that carried it too can finally stand at ease.
Lyrics
Twenty years, six different states
One flag folded on the gate
One flag folded on the gate
You signed your name at barely nineteen
Learned to sleep wherever orders said
Six houses that the kids called home for a minute
Boxes labeled with the life you led
Learned to sleep wherever orders said
Six houses that the kids called home for a minute
Boxes labeled with the life you led
The uniform deployed
But the whole house served
But the whole house served
Twenty years of service — stand down, friend
The watch is over, someone else's now
You gave the best years to a promise
And kept it like an oath, not like a job
Twenty years of service — at ease now
The watch is over, someone else's now
You gave the best years to a promise
And kept it like an oath, not like a job
Twenty years of service — at ease now
There were birthdays sung through static on a screen
Anniversaries marked an ocean wide
A spouse who learned to fix the furnace solo
And kept the porch light burning every night
Anniversaries marked an ocean wide
A spouse who learned to fix the furnace solo
And kept the porch light burning every night
The medals tell a piece of it
The family knows the rest
The family knows the rest
Twenty years of service — stand down, friend
The watch is over, someone else's now
You gave the best years to a promise
And kept it like an oath, not like a job
Twenty years of service — at ease now
The watch is over, someone else's now
You gave the best years to a promise
And kept it like an oath, not like a job
Twenty years of service — at ease now
Some kid is lacing up this morning
At the same gate where you began
They'll never know your name, but they inherit
The standard that you carried — hand to hand
At the same gate where you began
They'll never know your name, but they inherit
The standard that you carried — hand to hand
Twenty years of service — stand down, friend
The watch is over, someone else's now
You gave the best years to a promise
And kept it like an oath, not like a job
Twenty years of service — at ease now
The watch is over, someone else's now
You gave the best years to a promise
And kept it like an oath, not like a job
Twenty years of service — at ease now
Hang the colors, hold the line one breath —
Dismissed, old friend. You've earned the rest.
Dismissed, old friend. You've earned the rest.
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