Strawbs - The soldiers tale

The ^Amwatchers on the hillside stand in silence As the ^Gdawn appears Then they ^Amgather to their horses in an instant As a ^Gsun shaft sears Through the ^Fmorning mist which hangs low in the valleys Like a ^Emserpent's tail Both ^Fpoisonous to enemies and heroes In the ^Amsoldiers' tale

By the ^Gsullen lake As the ^Amstraggle of survivors in their weakness Make a ^Ggrave mistake For the ^Fcrossroad sign which points towards the coast Is yet a^Emnother nail In the ^Fcross of the Pretender and his comrades In the ^Amsoldiers' tale

The ^Fdream we once knew is now ^Cover The battle is ^Glost The retreat has be^Emgun Let us make our es^Fcape in the dead of the ^Cnight While the lone widows ^Abwail In the ^Asoldiers' tale

The ^AmFrench boat at the ready, stands at anchor On the ^Gswollen tide His ^Amloyal followers raise a faint cheer As he ^Gdraws aside The Pre^Ftender's cause is lost, a sad farewell As the ^Emboat sets sail And the ^Frain hurls down on the challenge of the gauntlet In the ^Amsoldiers' tale ^F

The soldiers' ^Amsong is never sung The soldiers' ^A7battle never won The soldiers' ^Am7lives are bought an sold The soldiers' ^Ambayonets are cold The soldiers' ^A7guns are never fired The soldiers' ^Am7eyes are never tired The soldiers' ^Dmhearts are filled with hate A soldier's ^Acause must ever ^Amwait