The years have come, the years have gone.....
And in the track of ruthless Time.....
Are strewn the graves of heroes brave,.....
Who fell ere life had reached its prime....
The lapse of years has hushed the din.....
Of can-non's roar and trumpet's blast;.....
The arm-ied hosts of boys in blue.....
Are but a spec-tre of the past.....

[chorus]
Peace to the fearless boys in blue,.....
Who saved their country's sacred name.....
Whose daunt-less deeds are grav-en deep.....
On Hon-or's mon-uments of fame!
Their ranks are dai-ly grow-ing less;.....
The bat-tle's din has died a-way;.....
Their foes have vanished with the years;.....
The boys in blue are turn-ing gray!.....

No more the tread of marching feet....
Keep step to stirring martial strains,.....
And but the mem-o-ry of war.....
Among the boys in blue re-mains.....
The brawn-y forms of those brave lads.....
Are bowed and bent with years to-day;.....
Their once bright eyes are growing dim;.....
The boys in blue are turning gray!.....

[repeat chorus]

The foes of yore are foes no more;....
The "gray coats" mingle with the blue;.....
One flag floats proudly o-ver all;.....
The em-blem of a na-tion true!.....
The dove of Peace spreads out her wings.....
And war and car-nage steals a-way;.....
The "men of gray" are now true blue.....
And "Boys in Blue" are turning gray!.....

[repeat chorus]