Irish traditional song lyrics — collected by Beer Belly Band.
I’ll sing you a song of a terrible wrong,
When the flags they flew at half-mast
And a man he lay dead, he’d been riddled with lead
He died on the streets of Belfast
Chorus:
Oh, the radio said, “There’s another shot dead,
And he died with a gun in his hand.”
But they didn’t why Billy Reid had to die
He died to free Ireland
It happened one day when the bold IRA
Went out to fight for their land
With an old Thompson gun, they’d the troops on the run
And returning to home was their plan
Chorus
When returning the gun, Billy met British Huns
And when the fight had begun
His position was dire and his gun wouldn’t fire
And he died with the old Thompson Gun
Chorus
Although he lay dead, he was kicked in the head
By the hair they dragged him around
They still fear him yet, and they’ll never forget
How brave Billy Reid stood his ground
Chorus
If you think he was right, come and join in the fight
And help to free Belfast
For the blood that he shed, and although he lay dead
In our minds his memory will last
Chorus
Chorus