Irish traditional song lyrics — collected by Beer Belly Band.
My father sailed away, and the band played tunes of glory
A giant man with ribbons and bedeviled dignity.
A regimental sergeant the back bone of the Empire
For God and righteous glory, bound for HighGermany.
Chorus:
Sweet Lord I was just seven, when Margaret waseleven,
They served us war for breakfast and soldiers songsfor tea
Your father’s gone campaignin’ was a way of notexplainin’
That soldiers are the living proof of our in humanity
My childhood passed away midst tales and luridstories
Of manufactured glories and inhuman gallantry
I asked “when is war over?” But no one deemed toanswer me
And Margaret played the dreaded tune called HighGermany.
Chorus:
Sweet Lord I was just seven, when Margaret was eleven,
They served us war for breakfast and soldiers songs for tea
Your father’s gone campaignin’ was a way of not explainin’
That soldiers are the living proof of our in humanity
My father made it home but he came without his reason
Two eyes of molten madness a senseless fool of war
He’s just a child – my mother cried to be dressed in full regalia
And paraded as a hero home from High Germany.
Chorus:
Sweet Lord I was just seven, when Margaret was eleven,
They served us war for breakfast and soldiers songs for tea
Your father’s gone campaignin’ was a way of not explainin’
That soldiers are the living proof of our in humanity
There were tunes glory for Margaret and me