A / E / D
A E
In a station in the city a British soldier stood
A
Talking to the people there if the people would
E
Some just stared in hatred, and others turned in pain
A
And the lonely British soldier wished he was back home again
D A
Come join the British Army! said the posters in his town
E A
See the world and have your fun come serve before the Crown
D A
The jobs were hard to come by and he could not face the dole
E A
So he took his country's shilling and enlisted on the roll
A E
For there was no fear of fighting, the Empire long was lost
A
Just ten years in the army getting paid for being bossed
E
Then leave a man experienced a man who's made the grade
A
A medal and a pension some mem'ries and a trade
A E
Then came the call for Ireland as the call had come before
A
Another bloody chapter in an endless civil war
E
The priests they stood on both sides the priests they stood behind
A
Another fight in Jesus's name the blind against the blind
D A
The soldier stood between them between the whistling stones
E A
And then the broken bottles that led to broken bones
D A
The petrol bombs that burnt his hands the nails that pierced his skin
E A
And wished that he had stayed at home surrounded by his kin
A E
The station filled with people the soldier soon was bored
A
But better in the station than where the people warred
E
The room filled up with mothers with daughters and with sons
A
Who stared with itchy fingers at the soldier and his gun
A E
A yell of fear a screech of brakes the shattering of glass
A
The window of the station broke to let the package pass
E
A scream came from the mothers as they ran towards the door
A
Dragging their children crying from the bomb upon the floor
A E
The soldier stood and could not move his gun he could not use
A
He knew the bomb had seconds and not minutes on the fuse
E
He could not run and pick it up and throw it in the street
A
There were far too many people there too many running feet
D A
Take cover! yelled the soldier, Take cover for your lives
E A
And the Irishmen threw down their young and stood before their wives
D A
They turned towards the soldier their eyes alive with fear
E A
For God's sake save our children or they'll end their short lives here
A E
The soldier moved towards the bomb his stomach like a stone
A
Why was this his battle God why was he alone
E
He lay down on the package and he murmured one farewell
A
To those at home in England to those he loved so well
A E
He saw the sights of summer felt the wind upon his brow
A
The young girls in the city parks how precious were they now
E
The soaring of the swallow the beauty of the swan
A
The music of the turning world so soon would it be gone
A E
A muffled soft explosion and the room began to quake
A
The soldier blown across the floor his blood a crimson lake
E
They never heard him cry or shout they never heard him moan
A
And they turned their children's faces from the blood and from the bones
D A
The crowd outside soon gathered and the ambulances came
E A
To carry off the body of a pawn lost in the game
D A
And the crowd they clapped and cheered and they sang their rebel song
E A
One soldier less to interfere where he did not belong
D A
And will the children growing up learn at their mothers' knees
E A
The story of the soldier who bought their liberty
D A
Who used his youthful body as a means towards an end
E A
Who gave his life to those who called him murderer not friend