There was a decorated General with a heart of gold 
That likened him to all the stories he told
Of past battles won and lost 
And legends of old 
A seasoned veteran in his own time.
On the battlefield he gained respectful fame
With many medals of bravery and stripes to his name
He grew a beard as soon as he could 
To cover the scars on his face 
And always urged his men on
But on the eve of great battle with the infantry in dream
The old general tossed in his sleep
And wrestled with its meaning
He awoke from the night to tell what he had seen 
And walked slowly out of his tent.
All the men held tall with their chests in the air 
With a courage in their blood 
And a fire in their stare
It was a grey morning and they all wondered how they would fare 
'Til the old general told them to go home.
He said, 
"I have seen the others 
And I have discovered
that this fight is not worth fighting
And I've seen their mothers 
And I will no other
to follow me where I'm going.
So take a shower and shine your shoes 
You've got no time to lose 
You are young men you must be living.
Take a shower and shine your shoes 
You've got no time to lose 
You are young men you must be living.
Go now you are forgiven."
Yeah...
But the men stood fast with their guns on their shoulders
Not knowing what to do with the contradicting orders
The General said he would do his own duty 
But he would extend it no further
The men could go as they pleased
But not a man moved
their eyes gazed straight ahead
'Til one by one they stepped back and not a word was said
The old General was left with his own words
Echoing in his head
He then prepared to fight
He said,
"I have seen the others 
And I have discovered
that this fight is not worth fighting
No, and I've seen their mothers
And I will no other to follow me where I'm going
So take a shower and shine your shoes 
You've got no time to lose 
You are young men you must be living.
Take a shower and shine your shoes 
You've got no time to lose 
You are young men you must be living.
Go now you are forgiven."
Yeah...
Go now you are forgiven
Go now you are forgiven
Go now you are forgiven 
Go
Go now you are forgiven
Go now you are forgiven
Go now you are forgiven 
Go oh
Go now you are forgiven
Go now you are forgiven
Go now you got to be got to be got to be got to be got to be yeah 
*("you got to be living" in live version)