Draft Dodger Rag Lyrics

I'm just a typical American boy
From a typical American town
I believe in God and Senator Dodd
And an keepin' old Castro down

And when it came my time to serve
I knew better dead than red
But when I got to my old draft board
Buddy, this is what I said

Sarge, I'm only eighteen, I got a ruptured spleen
And I always carry a purse
I got eyes like a bat, and my feet are flat
My asthma's getting worse

Consider my career, my sweetheart dear
My poor old invalid aunt
Besides, I ain't no fool, and I'm goin' to school
And I'm workin' in a defense plant

I've got a dislocated disc and a racked up back
I'm allergic to flowers and bugs
And when the bombshell hits, I get epileptic fits
And I'm addicted to a thousand drugs

I got the weakness woes, I can't touch my toes
I can hardly reach my knees
And if the enemy ever came close to me
Well, I'd probably start to sneeze

Sarge, I'm only eighteen, I got a ruptured spleen
And I always carry a purse
I got eyes like a bat, and my feet are flat
My asthma's getting worse

Consider my career, my sweetheart dear
My poor old invalid aunt
Besides, I ain't no fool, I'm a goin' to school
And I'm workin' in a defense plant

I hate Chou En Lai, and I hope he dies
But I think you gotta see
That if someone's gotta go over there
That someone isn't me

So, have a ball, Sarge, watch 'em fall
Yeah, kill me a thousand or so
And if you ever get a war without any gore
Well, I'll be the first to go

Sarge, I'm only eighteen, I got a ruptured spleen
And I always carry a purse
I got eyes like a bat, and my feet are flat
My asthma's getting worse

Consider my career, my sweetheart dear
I got to water my rubber tree plant
Besides, I ain't no fool, I'm a goin' to school
And I'm workin' in a defense plant

Sarge, I'm only eighteen, I got a ruptured spleen
And I always carry a purse
I got eyes like a bat, and my feet are flat
My asthma's getting worse

Consider my career, my sweetheart dear
My poor old invalid aunt
Besides, I ain't no fool, I'm a goin' to school
And I'm workin' in a defense plant

Phil Ochs - There But for Fortune

Oct 1990

1. What's That I Hear
2. One More Parade
3. Too Many Martyrs
4. Power And The Glory
5. I Ain't Marching Anymore
6. Draft Dodger Rag
7. The Highwayman
8. Here's To The State Of Mississippi
9. There But For Fortune
10. I'm Goin To Say It Now
11. Is There Anybody Here
12. Cops Of The World
13. Ringing Of Revolution
14. Santo Domingo
15. Bracero
16. Love Me, I'm A Liberal
17. Changes
18. When I'm Gone