Richard Neal

Lyrics

The Skyway Men
copyright © 2016 Richard F. Neal

A troupe of fighting airmen
Just returned from the war
Where we whipped the Kaiser's forces
In the aviation corps
It was Jack and me And Abraham
The Skyway Men so called
We pushed the planes to the limit
Until the engines stalled

Dueling with your foe high in the sky
You either kill your enemy or you die
Every battle has an arc
And every victor hits the mark
Daredevils in a dogfight

We received a hero's welcome
When we touched down in this zone
But it didn't last too long
Soon we were on our own
The economy was tanking
The supply of jobs was short
We couldn't rely on the government
To lend us its support

We thought we quit the fray in the air above Verdun
But we didn't realize that another had begun
Instead of fire and lead
It was a fight for milk and bread
Daredevils in a dogfight (The Skyway Men)

At the crossroads where opportunity
And hesitation intersect
We agreed to a plan
Conceived to save our necks
So we formed a flying circus
Put Aerobatics on display
Barnstorming from town to town
Across the USA

We performed the loop de loop and daunting daring feats
We kept the prices low to try to fill the seats
Our fame and courage grew
With every sortie that we flew
Daredevils in a dogfight (The Skyway Men)

Money was tight expenses were high
It was all we could do to get by
All we ever knew how to do was fly
Daredevils in a dogfight

Jack the reckless stuntman
He didn't fear a thing
Blowing kisses to the ladies
As he walked out on the wing
With his helmet and his goggles
I can see him still
His white scarf trailing in the wind
The day that he was killed

He lost his balance it was a windy day
And fell to his death in a golden field of hay
His wish was should he die
Spread his ashes to the sky
Daredevils in a dogfight (The Skyway Men)