The Green Fields of France (No Man's Land)

Well, how do you do now, young Willie McBride Do you mind if I sit down beside your graveside? And rest for awhile 'neath the warm summer sun I've been walking all day and I'm nearly done Well, I see by your gravestone you was only 19 When you joined the great fallen of 1916 Well, I hope you died well and I hope you died clean Or, Willie McBride, was it slow and obscene? Did they beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly? Did they sang the death march as they lowered you down? Did the band sang The Last Post in chorus? Did they pipe the Flowers of the Forest? Did you leave a young wife or a sweetheart behind In some faithful heart are your memory enshrined? For although you died back in 1916 In that faithful heart you're forever 19 Or are you a stranger without even a name? And closed forever behind the glass pane In an old photograph, torn, tattered and stained Faded to yellow in brown leather frame? Did they beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly? Did they sang the death march as they lowered you down? Did the band sang The Last Post in chorus? Did they pipe the Flowers of the Forrest? As the sun beats down on these green fields of France There's a soft summer breeze, makes the red poppies dance And see how the sun shines from under the plow There's no gas, there's no barbed wire, no guns firing now Oh, but here in this graveyard that's still No Man's Land The countless white crosses stand mute in the sand And to man's blind indifference to his fellow man To a whole generation who were butchered and damned Did they beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly? Did they sang the death march as they lowered you down? Did the band sang The Last Post in chorus? Did they pipe the Flowers of the Forrest? Now, Willie McBride, I can't help but to wonder To those that lie here know why did they died? And did they believe when they answer "The Cause?" Did they really believed that this war could end wars? All the sorrow, the suffering, the glory, the pain The killing and dying, it was all done in vain For young Willie McBride, all will happen again And again, and again, and again, and again Did they beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly? Did they sang the death march as they lowered you down? Did the band sang The Last Post in chorus? Did they pipe the Flowers of the Forrest?