Harvey Andrews - The British Soldier lyrics

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In a station in the city a British soldier stood<br />

Talking to the people there if the people would<br />

Some just stared in hatred, and others turned in pain<br />

And the lonely British soldier wished he was back home again<br />

<br />

Come join the British Army! said the posters in his town<br />

See the world and have your fun come serve before the Crown<br />

The jobs were hard to come by and he could not face the dole<br />

So he took his country's shilling and enlisted on the roll<br />

<br />

For there was no fear of fighting, the Empire long was lost<br />

Just ten years in the army getting paid for being bossed<br />

Then leave a man experienced a man who's made the grade<br />

A medal and a pension some mem'ries and a trade<br />

<br />

Then came the call to Ireland as the call had come before<br />

Another bloody chapter in an endless civil war<br />

The priests they stood on both sides the priests they stood behind<br />

Another fight in Jesus name the blind against the blind<br />

<br />

The soldier stood between them between the whistling stones<br />

And then the broken bottles that led to broken bones<br />

The petrol bombs that burnt his hands the nails that pierced his skin<br />

And wished that he had stayed at home surrounded by his kin<br />

<br />

The station filled with people the soldier soon was bored<br />

But better in the station than where the people warred<br />

The room filled up with mothers with daughters and with sons<br />

Who stared with itchy fingers at the soldier and his gun<br />

<br />

A yell of fear a screech of brakes the shattering of glass<br />

The window of the station broke to let the package pass<br />

A scream came from the mothers as they ran towards the door<br />

Dragging children crying from the bomb upon the floor<br />

<br />

The soldier stood and could not move his gun he could not use<br />

He knew the bomb had seconds and not minutes on the fuse<br />

He could not run to pick it up and throw it in the street<br />

There were far too many people there too many running feet<br />

<br />

Take cover! yelled the soldier, Take cover for your lives<br />

And the Irishmen threw down their young and stood before their wives<br />

They turned towards the soldier their eyes alive with fear<br />

For God's sake save our children or they'll end their short lives here<br />

<br />

The soldier moved towards the bomb his stomach like a stone<br />

Why was this his battle God why was he alone<br />

He lay down on the package and he murmured one farewell<br />

To those at home in England to those he loved so well<br />

<br />

He saw the sights of summer felt the wind upon his brow<br />

The young girls in the city parks how precious were they now<br />

The soaring of the swallow the beauty of the swan<br />

The music of the turning world so soon would it be gone<br />

<br />

A muffled soft explosion and the room began to quake<br />

The soldier blown across the floor his blood a crimson lake<br />

They never heard him cry or shout they never heard him moan<br />

And they turned their children's faces from the blood and from the bones<br />

<br />

The crowd outside soon gathered and the ambulances came<br />

To carry off the body of a pawn lost in the game<br />

And the crowd they clapped and cheered and they sang their rebel songs<br />

One soldier less to interfere where he did not belong<br />

<br />

But will the children growing up learn at their mothers' knees<br />

The story of the soldier who bought their liberty<br />

Who used his youthful body as a means towards an end<br />

Who gave his life to those who called him murderer not friend