Soldierstown

Lyrics

[Intro] There's a stranger on the road tonight On the way to soldierstown The stranger with his coat pulled tight His collar buttoned down A stranger every sinner knows A seasoned man of war Marching through the fires of hell Scarred by the cannons roar [Verse 1] They know he's bound for Soldierstown It's written on the moon They're pulling all the shutters down Listening fearful of his tune He'll sing a song of sixpence Breaks his fist upon a door They know the score in Soldierstown He's done it here before [Chorus 1] There is no choice, no compromise Give up one of your kin To save the other children To save your bone and skin Tonight's the night you must decide Which son will stay or go The devil rides in Soldierstown His boots cut through the snow [Verse 2] Shadows fall on windows Praying that he'll pass Listening for the death knell Of his breath upon the glass You all must lose a finger If you wish to save the hand A stranger chants imagine that The townsfolk understand [Verse 3] Now every son and daughter Has been taken in the night Condemned, they say, to slaughter If they dare to take the fight It's midnight out in Soldierstown There's a knock upon the door The youngest pushed out in the snow To save the other four [Chorus 2] You can hear the screams in Belfast town Or so the story goes You can trace the sets of footprints In the deepest of the snow There's nothing here in Soldierstown Save misery and pain Crops all failed in Soldierstown They never grew again (Damon Johnson Guitar solo) [Verse 4] The stranger though, misunderstood He's come to save the young To steal them from their poverty Turn their faces to the sun To a place where law and love were taught And peace, it overflowed One night a soulless father Met the stranger on the road [Chorus 3] 'I'll fight until one of us dies' He screams into his face 'I admire your noble notion' Said the stranger touched by grace First please let me show you Where the young you gave me play In meadows filled with laughter Growing wiser by the day [Verse 5] One day your son may save you all From the hell of Soldierstown 'But take him back', the stranger cried His patience wearing down A stranger came to Soldierstown When 20 years had passed Looking for his father Breathing slowly on the glass [Chorus 1] There is no choice, no compromise Give up one of your kin To save the other children To save your bone and skin Tonight's the night you must decide Which son will stay or go The devil rides in Soldierstown His boots cut through the snow [Chorus 2] You can hear the screams in Belfast town Or so the story goes You can trace the sets of footprints In the deepest of the snow There's nothing here in Soldierstown Save misery and pain The Devil rides in Soldierstown He's smiling once again [Outro] The Devil rides in Soldierstown