Bonjour Vietnam

Tell me about this strange and hard-to-pronounce name
That I've carried since I was born
Tell me about the old empire and the slant of my eyes
That speak better than I do what you dare not say
I only know images of war from you
A Coppola film, angry helicopters

One day, I'll go there
One day, say hello to your soul
One day, I'll go there
To say hello, Vietnam

Tell me about my color, my hair, and my small feet
That have carried me since I was born
Tell me about your house, your street, tell me about this stranger
The floating markets and the wooden sampans
I only know my country from war photos
A Coppola film, angry helicopters

One day, I'll go there
One day, say hello to my soul
One day, I'll go there
To say hello, Vietnam

The temples and the stone Buddhas for my fathers
The bent women in the rice fields for my mothers
In prayer, in light, to see my brothers again
Touch my tree, my roots, my land

One day, I'll go there
One day, say hello to my soul
One day, I'll go there
To say hello, Vietnam
To say hello, Vietnam