I woke up early this mornin' I was feelin' kind of blue My landlady said you got a letter here And I began to sing the blues It was from my brother Don't you know the boy's laying down in Vietnam Lord they say, you don't have no reason to fight baby but Lord knows you think you're right (but you got to be wrong, don't you hear me, you got to be wrong, now pick up -) You wake up early in the mornin' baby And you don't have nothin' to eat You can't buy yourself no clothes baby Lord knows who can you meet My brother's in Vietnam People don't you know just why I'm singin' these blues You might have no respect for your country darlin' But that's why, that's why I'm singin' these blues (you better pick up baby and get with it, you hear me? Looka here -) The mothers, all the wives, All the fathers, that have sons, In Vietnam, you hear me? This is to you Always Oh I'm gonna wake up early in the mornin' People I'm 'bout to go out of my god-darn' mind Lord I'm gonna wake up early in the mornin' People I'm 'bout to go out of my god-darn' mind It's so sad, it's so sad to think about your people Lord when the other man thinks they're wrong (you're not right baby. Hear this just before I go -) Lord I woke up in the mornin' (*) You're gonna look up, you're gonna look up and find yourself gone Lord I woke up this mornin' You're gonna look up and find yourself gone (how would you feel if it was your brother over there, eh? How would you feel?) Lord then you're gonna ask the good Lord to forgive you Please forgive me for my sins.