Why hello, say can I buy you another glass of beer
Well thanks a lot that's kind of you, it's nice to know you care
These days there's so much going on
No one seems to want to know
I may be just an old soldier to some
But I know how it feels to grow old

Yeah that's right, you can see me here most every night
You'll always see me staring at the walls and at the lights
Funny I remember oh it's years ago I'd say
I'd stand at that bar with my friends who've passed away
And drink three times the beer that I can drink today
Yes I know how it feels to grow old

I know what they're saying son
There goes old man Joe again
Well I may be mad at that I've seen enough
To make a man go out his brains
Well do they know what it's like
To have a graveyard as a friend
'Cause that's where they are boy, all of them
Don't seem likely I'll get friends like that again

Well it's time I moved off
But it's been great just listening to you
And I might even see you next time I'm passing through
You're right there's so much going on
No one seems to want to know
So keep well, keep well old friend
And have another drink on me
Just ignore all the others you got your memories
You got your memories


Lyrics submitted by rav4guy

Talking Old Soldiers Lyrics as written by Elton John Bernie Taupin

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Talking Old Soldiers song meanings
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    General Comment

    I think the lyrics are mistaken. "there goes old man Joe again"....doesn't make sense. Because the next line is "well I may be mad at that"...so the previous line should be "there goes old mad Joe again." Listen to the song, there's no "n" at the end of the word "man." Obviously the protagonist knows his mind is pretty shot, and he's been driven mad by death and destruction, I guess today they'd call it PTSD. It's almost startling how Elton and Bernie got inside this old man's head like modern day Doestoyevski's.

    norm113633on August 02, 2021   Link

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