The Sin of Our Time

I took my old friend Billy
To see the Queen Mary
He could see it from his hospital down in the wharf
He said it was a troop ship in WWII
And he and his two brothers had fought in that war.

Now Billy’s been cryin for near fifty years
And with a broken spirit he tries to carry on
On the isle of Iwo Jimo they were hit by a mortar
Billy lost his legs
And his brothers were gone.

We walked up the gangplank…looked over the side
Today’s the anniversary his brother’s had died
He was looking for healin
But I saw his mind fall apart
As we looked out on a parking lot filled with Japanese cars

(Chorus)

Out on the highway…into the skies
Into our thinking late in the night
He said, “War is big business…we always make more
Someone gets rich…and the World gets poorer.”

2)

Now Billy’s son went to Vietnam…he wished he wouldn’t go
But governments don’t want their young people thinking on their own
Take a blanket of loneliness and a Mind yet unformed
Turn a boy into a soldier and business goes on
He came home without a scratch and medals on his chest
But his heart was broken he said he was mis-led
But nobody listened…we already knew
Billy’s son sent a bullet
Through his own head

(Chorus)

Out on the highway…into the skies
Into our thinking late in the night
What the blind man don’t tell you…don’t want you to know
More took their own lives than died in the war

3)

They called it Desert Storm…like a Disneyland ride
It flashed across our TV’s the ratings were high
And arms dealer’s showcase…carefully contrived
Right down to the newscast
It looked so civilized

But out in the desert down in their bunkers
The enemy wanted surrender we had bombed them all night
Their officers wouldn’t let them…they held them at gunpoint
They were young and scared
Just wanting to survive

Now it takes a lot of lies…for a man to kill his brother
Make believe he’s not human…he’s on the “other side”
The top brass had no answers…they sent down the orders
Start up your bulldozers
And they buried them alive



(Chorus)

Out on the highway…into the skies
We all hear the screams late in the night
He said, “War is big business…we always make more
Someone gets rich and the world gets poorer.”

(Ending Chorus)

Oh sweet sweet surrender
Come into out hearts we’ve lost out way
Stop this World with your Heavenly Grace
It’s time for you to keep the Promise you made

Send it out on the highways…into the skies
Into out thinking late in the night
In the unfeigned Kingdom…there’s no “other side”
Separation is the Sin of Our Time



Words and music by
George Craig McMillian  2009