Waterloo

(album: The Glorious Burden - 2004)

Usher in the rally cries
Revolution's here again
The emperor's bond's are broken
And free he shall remain

Escape, though narrow was demand
While his reign remained in view
This fight for France through bitter end
He must see it though

Coalition forms of many lands
Against Napoleon, West to east
Dogs of war will take to arms
And soon will be unleashed

Prussian, Russian, and Austrian
All follow British lead
At the allies' helm is Wellington
Who must make his foe concede

[Chorus:]
For shadowed man of destiny
Soon you will be forced to see
Nations aligning against you
Marking your time Your reign is through
...And you will see a 100 days
come to an end
For shadowed man of destiny
Soon you will be forced to see
Nations aligning against you
Marking your time Your reign is through
...It lies before you, fate shall befall you

Quickly the allies gather force
Near the Franco Belgian line
While 124,000 French
march there in double time

As the battle begins
Napoleon springs his audacious plan
He'll attack them on two fronts
splitting up his warring band

As the Prussians sound retreat
Behind they leave 10,000 slain
Most of their force is still intact
and will live to fight again

Wellington, who felt the loss
of 5,000 men
Would feel more under killing fire
bombardment from the French

[Chorus]

Of all the wars I have waged
To propel my nations might
For this I'll be remembered
From now 'till the end of time
If To the victor goes the spoils
I may die an impoverished man
For in the end irony
has dealt the cruelest hand

The French force was swift and sure
But their attack would be repelled
And though the center batteed
The Anglo-Dutch line would be held

And as fate or skill would have it
And army moves in from the east
The Prussians, who slipped through his hands
Would soon spell his defeat

The French lines now are broken
And being open to attack
The emperor has no choice
And the old guard calls him back

45,000 wounded or dead
When the fight was finally through
On a 3 mile square the battlefield
Near a town named Waterloo

[Chorus]