Uncle Tommy

(album: Gangs Of New Holland - 2010)

Early one November me Uncle Tommy joined the army
Kitted him out for danger and ferried him o'er the sea
He threw me o'er his shoulder, sang to me a dirty ditty
Telling me when I were older "you'll be just like me"

A half a bottle o' whisky, tattoo of a pretty lady
Half a dozen Havana's and his Aunties rosary
A-thundering oe'r the border, guns a-blazing, hells a-raising
"Here I am ya bastards, ye'll no be having me!"

Tommy was a rifle, Tommy was a razor
Tommy was a rambling man
A silver blade in the dying shade
Oor Tommy was a fighting man!

The following December he sent a card to Auntie Annie
Telling her he were frozen half to death upon a hill
Sick o' the sound o' trash cans, kicking in doors on dear old ladies
Sick o' the screaming babies, he had lost the bottle tae kill

Tommy was a rifle, Tommy was a razor
Tommy was a rambling man
A silver blade in the dying shade
Oor Tommy was a fighting man!

Tommy was a rifle, Tommy was a razor
Tommy was a rambling man
A silver blade in the dying shade
Oor Tommy was a fighting man!

He earn't his scars in German bars
And breaking the hearts o' the maids o' Norway
Trained his guns upon the Huns
And boxed the sons o' proud old Galway

Tommy was a rifle, Tommy was a razor
Tommy was a Rambling man
Quick with a pound when yer luck was down
Oor Tommy was a Jerry can

Early one November me Uncle Tommy left the army
Stripped him o' his regalia and ferried him o'er the main
He took me by the shoulder, sang to me a dirty ditty
"Bastard's only love ye when ye're shooting at yer ain!"