SSgt. Barry Sadler was a Green Beret medic and was wounded by a Punji stick while he was on a combat patrol southeast of Pleiku in the Central Highlands. He was lucky enough to survive. This song is about him being a “lucky one”, although his friends were not.
I'm going home, my tour is done
I'm going home, I'm a lucky one
But I left friends behind me
Who won't come home no more
Yes, many friends remain forever
On that bloody shore
But at night when I sleep
I know my dreams will be, about my friends
I left across the sea
I'll hear Virba, Young, and Horn laugh again out loud
We'll all be together in a happy crowd
But then I hear the sound of bullets whining overhead
Feel the crash of mortars, and all my friends are dead
My friends they fought and gave their all
My friends they died for freedom's call
As my dream is ending, they'll come and say good-bye
Though I'm sound asleep, a tear I'll cry
And they say something which fills my heart with pain:
Tell them about us, Sadler; don't let us die in vain
I'm going home, my tour is done
I'm going home, I'm a lucky one
I’m a Lucky One was written by Barry Sadler.
I’m a Lucky One was produced by Andy Wiswell.
Barry Sadler released I’m a Lucky One on Sat Jan 01 1966.