Rifle Left Behind

My granddaddy had a 30-30 that he handed down

And my dad can shoot it straight every time

Sure, it gave our whole family more deer than we can count

But it's the memories that we hold so tight

Every sunrise every prayer in that cool morning air

Watching the summer change colors and turn right in to fall

Every truck ride every story, we don't do it for the glory

It ain't about some antlers on a wall

And I hope someday I can hand it down to mine

'Cause it's more than just a rifle left behind

Back in a different time, before it all turned upside down

We had faith in God and the red, white, and blue

We were sure about the fight

And when we laid them in the ground

We said rest in peace with a twenty-one gun salute

Every sunrise every prayer, sometimes life ain't fair

We say farewell to every soldier after they fall

Every heartbreaking story, every wave of Old Glory

After all their names are on a wall

For the families who weren't ready to say goodbye

It's more than just a rifle left behind

Every sunrise every prayer, every memory that we share

I couldn't be more grateful for it all

If it were any other way, I wouldn't be here today

But I can't help but wonder what it's gonna cost

To hang on to this precious way of life

It's more than just a rifle left behind