Draft Dodger Rag Songtext
von Phil Ochs

Oh, I′m just a typical American boy
From a typical American town
I believe in God and Senator Dodd
And in keeping 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
And my asthma′s getting worse


Yes, think of 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 a-workin' in a defense plant

I 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 came close to me
Oh, I'd probably start to sneeze

Yes, 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
And my asthma's getting worse


Yes, think of 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 a-workin′ in a defense plant

I hate John Lard and I hope he dies
But one thing you gotta see
That someone's gotta go over there
And that someone isn′t me
So I wish you well, Sarge, give 'em hell
Kill thee a thousand or so
And if you ever get a war without blood and gore
I′ll be the first to go

Yes, 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
And my asthma's getting worse

Yes, think of 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 a-workin' in a defense plant