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There's a warm summer breeze makes the red poppys dance |
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As the sunlight shines on the green fields of France |
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Well, how do you do, young Willie McBride, |
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Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside? |
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And rest for a while 'neath the warm summer sun, |
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I've been walking all day, and I'm nearly done. |
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I see by your gravestone you were only 19 |
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When you joined the great fallen in 1916, |
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I hope you died well and I hope you died clean |
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And, young Willie McBride, was it slow and obscene? |
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Did they beat the drum slowly, did the sound the pipe lowly? |
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Did they sound the dead-march as they lowered you down. |
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And did the band play the Last Post and chorus, |
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Did the pipes play the 'Flooers o' the Forest'. |
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And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind? |
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In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined? |
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Although you died back in 1916 |
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In some faithful heart you're forever 19 |
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Or are you a stranger without even a name? |
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Enclosed and forever behind the glass frame |
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In a old photograph, torn and battered and stained |
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And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame. |
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Did they beat the drum slowly, did the sound the pipe lowly? |
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Did they sound the dead-march as they lowered you down. |
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And did the band play the Last Post and chorus, |
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Did the pipes play the 'Flooers o' the Forest'. |
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Now young Willie McBride I can't help wonder why |
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Do all those who lie here know why they died |
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And did they believe when they answered the cause |
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Did they really believe that this war would end wars |
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Well the sorrow, the suffering, the glory, the pain |
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The killing and dying was all done in vain |
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For young Willie McBride it all happened again |
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And again, and again, and again, and again. |
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Did they beat the drum slowly, did the sound the pipe lowly? |
|
Did they sound the dead-march as they lowered you down. |
|
And did the band play the Last Post and chorus, |
|
Did the pipes play the 'Flooers o' the Forest'. |
|
Did they beat the drum slowly, did the sound the pipe lowly? |
|
Did they sound the dead-march as they lowered you down. |
|
Did the band play the Last Post and chorus, |
|
Did the pipes play the 'Flooers o' the Forest'. |