Body of War Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran movie - Battle Hymns lyrics

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Song by The Nightwatchman<br /><br>

Battle hymns for the broken <br>

Battle hymns for the misled <br>

Battle hymns for the wretched <br>

The forgotten and the dead <br>

Battle hymns of redemption <br>

Of solidarity and pride <br>

Battle hymns we will be singing <br>

At the turning of the tide <br>

<br>

Can you explain to the mothers <br>

And the fathers of those <br>

Who come riding home in coffins <br>

In their military clothes <br>

Shiny medals pinned <br>

To their dead teenage chests <br>

While the trumpets blare <br>

And you lie your best <br>

So ask all you want <br>

From the dusk til the dawn <br>

The answer's still no <br>

'Cause brother I'm gone <br>

<br>

Battle hymns for the broken <br>

Battle hymns for the misled <br>

Battle hymns for the wretched <br>

The forgotten and the dead <br>

Battle hymns of redemption <br>

Of solidarity and pride <br>

Battle hymns we will be singing <br>

At the turning of the tide <br>

<br>

Can you explain away the sleight of hand <br>

And the criminality <br>

Of spending souls for oil <br>

Well in the mirror I can see <br>

I am the path that leads down <br>

I am a dark and bloody hall <br>

I'm the reaper, executioner <br>

Hangman, judge, and the law <br>

So tie a yellow ribbon <br>

Round the oak tree on the lawn <br>

But the cavalry's not comin' <br>

'Cause brother they're gone <br>

<br>

Battle hymns for the broken <br>

Battle hymns for the misled <br>

Battle hymns for the wretched <br>

The forgotten and the dead <br>

Battle hymns of redemption <br>

Of solidarity and pride <br>

Battle hymns we will be singing <br>

At the turning of the tide <br>

<br>

So I'm sharpening my shovel <br>

I'm firing the kiln <br>

I'm blind and I am purposeful <br>

A martyr on the hill <br>

The dream you might be dreaming <br>

Might be someone else's dream tonight <br>

I'm the whisperer of misgivings <br>

I'm the fading tail light <br>

I'm the call for retribution <br>

From the back of the smoke filled hall <br>

I'm the vow of bitterness <br>

I'm the poison in the well <br>

I've a photographic memory <br>

Of the deeds I will avenge <br>

I'm the cold in the river hollow <br>

I've a hatpin, I've a plan <br>

I don't care of cause or consequence <br>

Head shaved and body lean <br>

I'm the go-getter, the score settler <br>

I'm the shadow on the green <br>

There's a flock of blackbirds flying <br>

Nearly ten thousand strong <br>

Who set off this morning <br>

And brother they're gone <br>

<br>

Battle hymns for the broken <br>

Battle hymns for the misled <br>

Battle hymns for the wretched <br>

The forgotten, for the dead <br>

Battle hymns of redemption <br>

Of solidarity and pride <br>

Battle hymns we will be singing <br>

At the turning of the tide<br>

<br>