[Verse 1]
Best of days livin' a simple life
There's nowhere to go when there's only one stoplight
His grandmother told him "Don't you dare sign up
They'll ship you away to places we ain't heard of
Get a degree, and maybe be a doctor
Just ask your daddy, it won't matter once they got ya"
Lifetimes you could spend to find out what she meant
Her final dyin' breath, this is what she said

[Chorus]
"Long gone is the praise for those who fought for us
Ashes to ashes, turns out steel still rusts
Stone carved in your name, no one can really trust
Shoulder another soldier they stole from us
Don't ever bend, don't ever crawl
Supposed to stand and never fall
Long gone is the praise for those who fought for us
Ashes to ashes, turns out steel still rusts"

[Post-Chorus]
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Steel still rusts
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust

[Verse 2]
A third of his life off in a foreign land
Thanks for your service, sincerely, Uncle Sam
Lost the best of friends he'd ever known
And no line of welcome signs once he got back home
He got a job, a doorman at a dive bar
Became a bodyguard, protecting famous rockstars
Lost count of the times he's been around the world
Promised grandmama he'd never lose these words

[Chorus]
Long gone is the praise for those who fought for us
Ashes to ashes, turns out steel still rusts
Stone carved in your name, no one can really trust
Shoulder another soldier they stole from us
Don't ever bend, don't ever crawl
Supposed to stand and never fall
Long gone is the praise for those who fought for us
Ashes to ashes, turns out steel still rusts

[Post-Chorus]
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Steel still rusts
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
And dust to dust

[Guitar Solo]

[Bridge]
Forever feel the wounds that never heal
When fallen friends are now a line of crosses in a field

[Chorus]
Long gone is the praise for those who fought for us
Ashes to ashes, turns out steel still rusts (Steel still rusts)
Stone carved in your name, no one can really trust
Shoulder another soldier they stole from us
Don't ever bend, don't ever crawl
Supposed to stand and never fall (And never fall)
Long gone is the praise for those who fought for us
Ashes to ashes, turns out steel still rusts

[Post-Chorus]
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Steel still rusts (Steel still rusts)
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Steel still rusts