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