My Dream of the Big Parade

Last night I was dreaming of days that are gone
Of days that you might recall
And just like a photoplay upon my wall
Once more I saw it all;
It was just a dream you see
But how real it seemed to be

I saw buddies true, marching two by two
In my dream of the Big Parade
I saw angels fair with the Red Cross there
In my dream of the Big Parade
I saw Gold Star Mothers, sisters and brothers
What a sacrifice they made;
I saw one-legged pals coming home to their gals
In my dream of the Big Parade

Millions of soldiers, millions of men
All going over - I see them again
Oceans of water, submarines, too:
Millions of sailors helping them through
Millions of doughboys landing in Brest
Marching, marching, never a rest
Millions of bullets thundering past
Millions of bodies, wounded and gassed
Valleys of ruin, mountains of mud
Beautiful rivers and rivers of blood
Airplanes flying, bombs coming down
Millions of cooties crawling around
Pieces of shrapnel, pieces of shell
Many a cross where somebody fell
Fighting and fighting a horrible war
And God only knows what you're fighting it for

Then came November, that armistice day
Out of a trench, into a cafe
Paddy, (?), Jimmy, and Jack
Over their bottles of wine and cognac
Telling their love tales to Gene and George
Yet little French girls they had to forget
Ahh, then came the journey over the foam
But all that went over didn't come home

I saw Gold Star Mothers, sisters and brothers
What a sacrifice they made;
I saw one-legged pals coming home to their gals
In my dream of the Big Parade