When I was a young, I knew a guy

Who told us all that he could fly.

He liked to joke, laugh and smile,

But we all knew he’d never lie…

 He’d say… You can be anything you want to be    

Because you’re living in the land of the free.

It’s the land of opportunity,

And it belongs to you and me… 

Then one day, he went away to war

To defend our freedom on some distant shore.

He didn’t even know what he was fighting for,

And he didn’t seem to smile much anymore… 

He never wanted to talk about it.

I think it was something he was trying to forget, 

But he told his closest friends

He’d gladly do it all again…

He fought for freedom, and he fought for truth. 

He fought for the Red, White and Blue.

I guess it’s something he was meant to do.

I guess that’s something that he always knew.

And I wondered as I heard him speak,

Who are these soldiers that keep us free? 

Then, suddenly it occurred to me,

They are Heroes, The Heroes Of Our Streets.

Now,  many years have gone by,

But I’ll never forget that guy

Who taught us freedoms worth the fight, 

But it never comes without a price.

And we all kept our promise to him.

Our Country and its Freedom, we’d defend.

I guess it’s something we were meant to do;

I guess that’s something that we always knew…

And then one day we all gathered around

As they placed him in the ground.

I knew that God was watching down

On this man who made his Country proud…

And as I looked up to the sky,

I swore I saw that Soldier fly. 

And on his face, he wore a smile.

I guess old soldiers never die…

He had become what he wanted to be,

A man who lived his whole life free,

And that’s a gift he left for you and me.

He was a hero…  a Hero Of Our Streets…

And The heroes of our streets are a lot like you and me,

Except that they believe

They’ve gotta fight, and some give their lives

To keep our country free…

And if by now you understand,

When you see a Veteran, shake his hand,

And I know you’ll feel the pride,

He keeps hidden deep inside…

It won’t be long before you see

The same thing that occurred to me.

They’re the ones who keep us free.

They are The Heroes Of Our Streets…