E
Last night I closed my eyes and watched the tracers fly,
 C#m
through the jungle trees
        A
like fireflies on a windy night
        B
pulled up and onward by the breeze

       E
and I can still here the far-off, tin canny sounds
           C#m
of their machine guns come unwound
           A
And I was shaking like Little Richard
           B
And I was sweating like ol’ James Brown

   E
Over by my window sill the moon was still
      C#m
on my cigarettes and wine
           A
sometimes there's where I pray to Jesus
          B
sometimes there's where I pray to die

 E
but I could still sense the circling danger
        C#m
of those invisible bastards of the piss-hot day
          A
And I was shakin' with ol’ Proud Mary
          B
And I was sittin' on the Dock of the Bay
 
[Chorus] 
      E
Take the hits boys take the hits
                 C#m
don't smoke your Bible and don't lose your wits
          A
'cause the sky is filled with shrapnel
          B
And your eyes are filled with tears
           E
Hold your breath boys, hold your breath
             C#m
finger your trigger and welcome death
             A
'cause the choppers' filled with your gut-shot friends
           B
and your hearts are filled with fear

[Verse]
   E
The fables tell of men who fell
      C#m
with swords dangling from their chests
            A
and the old guys down at the taproom swear
     B
the Japs could kill you best

    E
But late at night I could still hear the cries
            C#m
of three black guys I seen take it in the face
                   A
I think about them sweet Motown girls they left behind
          B
and the assholes that took their place
 
[Chorus] 
      E
Take the hits boys take the hits
                 C#m
don't smoke your Bible and don't lose your wits
          A
'cause the sky is filled with shrapnel
          B
And your eyes are filled with tears
           E
Hold your breath boys, hold your breath
             C#m
finger your trigger and welcome death
             A
'cause the choppers' filled with your gutshot friends
           B
and your hearts are filled with fear