Salute To A Switchblade

Me and Yates, an army buddy o'mine
Were doin' three years in Germany at the time
We came upon these Frauleins in the bar
Yates said, "Darf isch zee be-gleit-en", they said, "Ya"
(And darf isch zee be-gleit-en means can we sit with you all)

Oh, we must have drunk ten quarts of German beer
My conscience and my sinuses were clear
I asked that Fraulein if she was a spy
She said, "Nein but do bis ain bissel high"
(A condition not uncommon to the American soldier)

Well, later on I went to be excused
When I returned I was a bit confused
Yates and his Fraulein had hit the air
Another guy was sittin' in my chair
(A young soldier whom we shall get to know better)

I said, "Excuse me Mister, that's my seat
I'd like to have it back, Sir, if you please
That girl's a nurse and I've been awful sick"
The man looked up at me and said, "Mox-nix"
(Which means that he was not overly concerned with my health)

Next thing I knew he had a switchblade knife
Lord I didn't know that Fraulein was his wife
I took off through that Gasthaus like a fool
Behind me I heard the crashing stools
(As the police would say he was in hot pursuit)

Well, the waitress yelled there's MPs on the way
That's one more reason I didn't want to stay
As I went out the window somethin' went switch
And I giggled all the way home knowin' he missed
(At the time it seemed like a laughing matter)

But next morning my coat was lyin' there on the bunk
And when I saw that coat it made me jump
That man had cut my coat right down the back
A little bit more and they'd been playin' me taps
(And knowin' the sad nature of that song I would decline it)

Well, later on I heard that guy got stabbed
They sent him home and didn't that make me glad
On love and marriage I want to say one thing
Oh lady, if you're married wear that ring
(And the army has a new policy if you can't move it, paint it)
(If it has a switchblade knife salute it)
(Not necessarily an incident one would want to write Mother about)
(Germany being full of good soldiers good people)