John Prine - Wonderful 99 Lyrics

Youve heard about the dirty dozen and the tales of the green beret

The men that sank the bismarck and the fighting c.i. a.

But if youre talkin danger then one name comes to mind

Make an unwise decision call the wonderful 99



It was way back in the nineties a dollar still was worth a dime

An international coincidence made newsweek and time

A hundred brave men or women, give or take a few

Got started on a friday night by monday they were back in school



Two kings, a pope, and the president of the denver savings and loan

Made and unwise decision, wished theyd stayed at home

A missile launching pad didnt go as planned

The wonderful 99 were called to deliver it by hand



99 brave soldiers in 99 pair of keds

Lookin for a motel 6 with 99 twin beds

A place to park a missile an watch some cable news

Maybe rent the top gun video and grimace like tom cruise



Now theres 99 yellow ribbons around the old oak tree

Most of its top secret, the rest is history

Its been a couple weeks now, how the memory fades with time

Of an unwise decision and the wonderful 99