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St Patrick Battalion

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Dmajor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[Intro]  D   Dsus2    D   D   Dsus2  D  
[Verse]
               D      Bm- Bsus2  
My name is John Riley,
                         G       D- Dsus2  
I'll have your ear only a while.
                      G        D- F#m  
I left my dear home in Ireland
                Bm         F#m      Bm-  A  G  
It was death, starvation or exile.
                  G        D- Dsus2  
And when I got to America,
It Gwas my duty to Bmgo,
DEnter the army and Gslog across Texas
                          A       Bm-  Bsus2   Bm  A  
To join in the war against Mexico.
                                   D          Bm- Bsus2  
And it was there in the pueblos and hillsides,
                            G      D- Dsus2  
That I saw the mistake I had made.
GPart of a conquering DarmyF#m  
                   Bm       F#m      Bm-  A  G  
With the morals of a bayonet blade.
                                    G           D- Dsus2  
So in the midst of these poor, dying Catholics,
Screaming Gchildren, the burning stench of it Bmall,
MyDself and two hundred GIrishmen
DeAcided to rise to the Bmcall...
[Chorus]
                       G       D- Dsus2  
From Dublin City, to San Diego
AWe witnessed freedom deBmnied
So we Gformed the Saint Patrick BaDttalion
                            A    Bm- Bsus2  
And we fought on the Mexican side
[Verse]
                                         D       Bm- Bsus2  
We marched 'neath the green flag of Saint Patrick
                        G       D- Dsus2  
Emblazoned with "Erin Go Bragh"
                            G         D- F#m  
Bright with the harp and the shamrock
                 Bm     F#m   Bm-  A  G  
And "Libertad para Mexicana"
          G                     D- Dsus2  
Just fifty years after Wolftone
GFive thousand miles aBmway
The Yanks Dcalled us a Legion of GStrangers
And Athey can talk as they Bmmay
But--
[Chorus]
                       G       D- Dsus2  
From Dublin City, to San Diego
AWe witnessed freedom deBmnied
So we Gformed the Saint Patrick BaDttalion
                            A    Bm- Bsus2  
And we fought on the Mexican side
[Verse]
                     D     Bm- Bsus2  
We fought them in Matamoros
                                      G     D- Dsus2  
While their volunteers were raping the nuns
                     G      D- F#m  
In Monterey and Cerro Gordo
              Bm         F#m    Bm-  A  G  
We fought on as Ireland's sons
                                   G        D- Dsus2  
We were the red-headed fighters for freedom
Amidst these Gbrown-skinned women and Bmmen
Side by Dside we fought against Gtyranny
And I Adare say we'd do it aBmgain
[Chorus]
                       G       D- Dsus2  
From Dublin City, to San Diego
AWe witnessed freedom deBmnied
So we Gformed the Saint Patrick BaDttalion
                            A    Bm- Bsus2  
And we fought on the Mexican side
[Instrumental Verse]
   D     Bm- Bsus2  
   G      D- Dsus2  
   G      D- F#m  
  Bm    F#m    Bm-  A  G  
   G      D- Dsus2  
G   Bm
D   G
A   Bm
[Instrumental Chorus]
  G    D- Dsus2  
A  Bm
G  D
  A   Bm- Bsus2  
[Verse]
                     D              Bm- Bsus2  
We fought them in five major battles
ChuroGbusco was the DlastDsus2  
                               G       D- F#m  
Overwhelmed by the cannons from Boston
            Bm           F#m     Bm-  A  G  
We fell after each mortar blast
                       G         D- Dsus2  
Most of us died on that hillside
In the Gservice of the Mexican Bmstate
So Dfar from our occupied Ghomeland
We were Aheroes and victims of Bmfate
[Chorus]
                       G       D- Dsus2  
From Dublin City, to San Diego
AWe witnessed freedom deBmnied
So we Gformed the Saint Patrick BaDttalion
                            A    Bm- Bsus2  
And we fought on the Mexican side
We Gformed the Saint Patrick BaDttalion
And we Afought on the Mexican Bmside 

All chords in this song (7)

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St Patrick Battalion

by David Rovics

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Dsus2

Bsus2

F#m

D Dsus2 D D Dsus2 D

[Intro]

[Verse]

D Bm Bsus2

My name is John Riley,

G D Dsus2

I'll have your ear only a while.

G D F#m

I left my dear home in Ireland

Bm F#m Bm A G

It was death, starvation or exile.

G D Dsus2

And when I got to America,

G Bm

It was my duty to go,

D G

Enter the army and slog across Texas

A Bm Bsus2 Bm A

To join in the war against Mexico.

D Bm Bsus2

And it was there in the pueblos and hillsides,

G D Dsus2

That I saw the mistake I had made.

G D F#m

Part of a conquering army

Bm F#m Bm A G

With the morals of a bayonet blade.

G D Dsus2

So in the midst of these poor, dying Catholics,

G Bm

Screaming children, the burning stench of it all,

D G

Myself and two hundred Irishmen

A Bm

Decided to rise to the call...

[Chorus]

G D Dsus2

From Dublin City, to San Diego

A Bm

We witnessed freedom denied

G D

So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion

A Bm Bsus2

And we fought on the Mexican side

[Verse]

D Bm Bsus2

We marched 'neath the green flag of Saint Patrick

G D Dsus2

Emblazoned with "Erin Go Bragh"

G D F#m

Bright with the harp and the shamrock

Bm F#m Bm A G

And "Libertad para Mexicana"

G D Dsus2

Just fifty years after Wolftone

G Bm

Five thousand miles away

D G

The Yanks called us a Legion of Strangers

A Bm

And they can talk as they may

But--

[Chorus]

G D Dsus2

From Dublin City, to San Diego

A Bm

We witnessed freedom denied

G D

So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion

A Bm Bsus2

And we fought on the Mexican side

[Verse]

D Bm Bsus2

We fought them in Matamoros

G D Dsus2

While their volunteers were raping the nuns

G D F#m

In Monterey and Cerro Gordo

Bm F#m Bm A G

We fought on as Ireland's sons

G D Dsus2

We were the red-headed fighters for freedom

G Bm

Amidst these brown-skinned women and men

D G

Side by side we fought against tyranny

A Bm

And I dare say we'd do it again

[Chorus]

G D Dsus2

From Dublin City, to San Diego

A Bm

We witnessed freedom denied

G D

So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion

A Bm Bsus2

And we fought on the Mexican side

[Instrumental Verse]

D Bm Bsus2

G D Dsus2

G D F#m

Bm F#m Bm A G

G D Dsus2

G Bm

D G

A Bm

[Instrumental Chorus]

G D Dsus2

A Bm

G D

A Bm Bsus2

[Verse]

D Bm Bsus2

We fought them in five major battles

G D Dsus2

Churobusco was the last

G D F#m

Overwhelmed by the cannons from Boston

Bm F#m Bm A G

We fell after each mortar blast

G D Dsus2

Most of us died on that hillside

G Bm

In the service of the Mexican state

D G

So far from our occupied homeland

A Bm

We were heroes and victims of fate

[Chorus]

G D Dsus2

From Dublin City, to San Diego

A Bm

We witnessed freedom denied

G D

So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion

A Bm Bsus2

And we fought on the Mexican side

G D

We formed the Saint Patrick Battalion

A Bm

And we fought on the Mexican side

About St Patrick Battalion Chords by David Rovics

Learn how to play St Patrick Battalion by David Rovics with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “St Patrick Battalion chords”, “St Patrick Battalion guitar chords”, or “David Rovics St Patrick Battalion chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy St Patrick Battalion chords and for experienced players who want accurate St Patrick Battalion lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, Dsus2, Bm, Bsus2, G, F#m.

FAQ — St Patrick Battalion by David Rovics

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The chords for "St Patrick Battalion" show the original chord names (including D, Dsus2, Bm, Bsus2, G, F#m). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.