Song Description

A folk song about the futility of war.

Lyrics

Verse: 1
C / / G7 / / Am / / /
Somewhere on a foreign field; I see a soldier lying
Dm / / / / / / / G7
Underneath a flag with many stars
C / / / / G7 / / / Am / / / /
He wears a Captains uniform; with silver buttons shining
Dm / / / / / / / / /
And on his chest they?ve pinned a purple heart . . .

Sub Verse: 1
Am / / Em / F / / / / / C
. . . The sun comes up the sun goes down but he won?t notice;
F / / / C / / D / / / G7
The silkworm or the crocus on the green mosaic floor
C / / / / G7 / / / AM
And it isn?t that the birds have just stopped singing
F / / / / G7 / / / C
It?s just that he don?t hear them anymore

Bridge: 1
G7 / / / / / / / Am / / / /
And there are many more like him; women , children, other men
F / / / C / / / D / / / G7
Friends and foes, and no-one knows; what they lay dying for
/ / C / / / G7 / / / / Am
No! It isn?t that the birds have just stopped singing
F / / / G7 / / / / C
It?s just that he don?t hear them anymore

Verse: 2

Somewhere on a distant shore; I saw a girl approaching
In her arms she held a newborn child
She kissed his cheeks and closed his eyes before they?d even opened
His face was just one more that never smiled. . .

Sub Verse: 2

. . . Her eyes were red and that girl had lost all feeling
Another rose lies bleeding on the tapestry of war
No, it isn?t that the birds have just stopped singing
It?s just that she don?t hear them anymore

Bridge: 2

A lark is up there in the sky; it?s song of love is in full cry
The echo is resounding high above the oceans roar
No! It isn?t that the birds have just stopped singing
It?s just that they she don?t hear them anymore