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No Mans Land

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Gmajor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[Verse 1]
GWell, how do you do private WCilliam McAmBride,
Do you Dmind if I sit here down Cby your graveGside,
And I'll Grest for a while in the wCarm summer Amsun,
I've been Dwalking all day long and CI'm nearly Gdone.
I Gsee by your gravestone you were Conly 1Am9,
When you Djoined the glorious fallen in G191D6,
Well, I Ghope you died quick and I Chope you died Amclean,
Or DWillie McBride, was it Cslow and obsGcene.
[Chorus]
Did they Dbeat the drum slowly, did they sCound the fife lGowly,
Did the rDifles fire o'er ye as they lCowered you dDown,
Did the bCugles sing The Last Post in chDorus,
Did the Gpipes play The FClowers of the DForGest.
[Verse 2]
And did Gyou leave a wife or a sCweetheart behAmind,
In Dsome faithful heart is your mCemory enGshrined,
GAnd though you died back in nCineteen-sixAmteen,
To tDhat loyal heart are you aClways nineGteen.
Or Gare you a stranger without Ceven a nAmame,
ForDever enshrined behGind some glass Dpane,
In an Gold photograph, torn and Amtattered and stained,
And Dfading to yellow in a bCrown leather fGrame.
[Chorus]
Did they Dbeat the drum slowly, did they sCound the fife lGowly,
Did the rDifles fire o'er ye as they lCowered you dDown,
Did the bCugles sing The Last Post in chDorus,
Did the Gpipes play The FClowers of the DForGest.
[Verse 3]
Well, the Gsun's shining now on these gCreen fields of FAmrance,
The Dwarm wind blows gently and the Cred poppies dGance,
The Gtrenches are vanished, long uCnder the plAmough,
No gDas and no barbed wire, no Cguns firing nGow.
But Ghere in this graveyard it's Cstill "No Man's AmLand",
The Dcountless white crosses in Cmute witness Dstand,
To Gman's blind indifference to Amhis fellow man,
And a Dwhole generation who were Cbutchered and dGamned.
[Chorus]
Did they Dbeat the drum slowly, did they sCound the fife lGowly,
Did the rDifles fire o'er ye as they lCowered you dDown,
Did the bCugles sing The Last Post in chDorus,
Did the Gpipes play The FClowers of the DForGest.
[Verse 4]
And I Gcan't help but wonder now CWillie McAmBride
Do Dall those who lie here Cknow why they Gdied
Did you Greally believe them when they Ctold you the Amcause
Did you Dreally believe that this wCar would end wGars.
The Gsuffering, the sorrow, the Cglory, the sAmhame
The Dkilling, the dying, it was aGll done in vDain,
For GWillie McBride, it all Chappened agAmain,
And aDgain, and again, and agCain, and agGain.
[Chorus]
Did they Dbeat the drum slowly, did they sCound the fife lGowly,
Did the rDifles fire o'er ye as they lCowered you dDown,
Did the bCugles sing The Last Post in chDorus,
Did the Gpipes play The FClowers of the DForGest.
Did the bCugles sing The Last Post in chDorus,
Did the Gpipes play The FClowers of the DForGest.

All chords in this song (4)

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No Mans Land

by Eric Bogle

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Verse 1]

G C Am

Well, how do you do private William McBride,

D C G

Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside,

G C Am

And I'll rest for a while in the warm summer sun,

D C G

I've been walking all day long and I'm nearly done.

G C Am

I see by your gravestone you were only 19,

D G D

When you joined the glorious fallen in 1916,

G C Am

Well, I hope you died quick and I hope you died clean,

D C G

Or Willie McBride, was it slow and obscene.

[Chorus]

D C G

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they sound the fife lowly,

D C D

Did the rifles fire o'er ye as they lowered you down,

C D

Did the bugles sing The Last Post in chorus,

G C D G

Did the pipes play The Flowers of the Forest.

[Verse 2]

G C Am

And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind,

D C G

In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined,

G C Am

And though you died back in nineteen-sixteen,

D C G

To that loyal heart are you always nineteen.

G C Am

Or are you a stranger without even a name,

D G D

Forever enshrined behind some glass pane,

G Am

In an old photograph, torn and tattered and stained,

D C G

And fading to yellow in a brown leather frame.

[Chorus]

D C G

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they sound the fife lowly,

D C D

Did the rifles fire o'er ye as they lowered you down,

C D

Did the bugles sing The Last Post in chorus,

G C D G

Did the pipes play The Flowers of the Forest.

[Verse 3]

G C Am

Well, the sun's shining now on these green fields of France,

D C G

The warm wind blows gently and the red poppies dance,

G C Am

The trenches are vanished, long under the plough,

D C G

No gas and no barbed wire, no guns firing now.

G C Am

But here in this graveyard it's still "No Man's Land",

D C D

The countless white crosses in mute witness stand,

G Am

To man's blind indifference to his fellow man,

D C G

And a whole generation who were butchered and damned.

[Chorus]

D C G

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they sound the fife lowly,

D C D

Did the rifles fire o'er ye as they lowered you down,

C D

Did the bugles sing The Last Post in chorus,

G C D G

Did the pipes play The Flowers of the Forest.

[Verse 4]

G C Am

And I can't help but wonder now Willie McBride

D C G

Do all those who lie here know why they died

G C Am

Did you really believe them when they told you the cause

D C G

Did you really believe that this war would end wars.

G C Am

The suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame

D G D

The killing, the dying, it was all done in vain,

G C Am

For Willie McBride, it all happened again,

D C G

And again, and again, and again, and again.

[Chorus]

D C G

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they sound the fife lowly,

D C D

Did the rifles fire o'er ye as they lowered you down,

C D

Did the bugles sing The Last Post in chorus,

G C D G

Did the pipes play The Flowers of the Forest.

C D

Did the bugles sing The Last Post in chorus,

G C D G

Did the pipes play The Flowers of the Forest.

About No Mans Land Chords by Eric Bogle

Learn how to play No Mans Land by Eric Bogle with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “No Mans Land chords”, “No Mans Land guitar chords”, or “Eric Bogle No Mans Land 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 No Mans Land chords and for experienced players who want accurate No Mans Land lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C, Am, D.

FAQ — No Mans Land by Eric Bogle

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