When you sing of Columbia or the Eagle

And reach for the stars as your ultimate goal

Recall who fell along the way

For the star-road takes a fearful toll

The star-road takes a fearful toll

And it might have been Armstrong, Aldrin, Cernan

Shepard, Carpenter, Cooper, or Glenn

They all knew well the quester's fee

And the star-road's paved with the lives of men

The star-road's paved with the lives of men

For the price was paid on a winter evening

When "Fire in the spacecraft!" somebody said

In smoke and flame the shadow passed

And in Capsule Twelve three men were dead

In Capsule Twelve three men were dead

Forget not yet who paid the forfeit

To conquer the stars in the Eagle's flight

"It's worth the price," they said who paid:

Grissom, Chaffee, and Edward White

Grissom, Chaffee, and Edward White