Critique and Analysis of "Goodbye Saigon" by Billy Joel

Song: "We met as soul mates" The soldiers were enthusiastic, buddies, and hopeful for a better life. "We left as inmates, from an asylum" The soldiers dreams/ideas of heroism, and valour were completely wrong "And we were so gung ho to lay down our lives" The soldiers thought they'd be heroes, that when they came back, they would be revered as fighters for freedom. "And WE were sharp; as sharp as knives" "And THEY …

…together, We said we'd all go down together; Yes we would all go down together" This could be taken as irony. With this chorus of men, it feels that the music should be patriotic, that the men, heroic. It's said as a heroic gesture of comradeship before they go, not really believing they would be all going down together. It's ironic that they are singing patriotically, as heroes, but knowing to go to certain death.