Billy's Bones Lyrics

Billy ran around with the rare old crew
And he knew an Arsenal from Tottenham blue
We'd be a darn sight better off if we knew
Where Billy's bones are resting now
Billy saw a copper and he hit him in the knew
And he took him down from six foot to five foot three
Then he hit him fair and square in the do-re-MI
That copper won't be having any family

Hey Billy son where are you now
Don't you know that we need you now
With aratata and the old kow-tow where are Billy's bones
Resting now

Billy went away with the peace-keeping force
'Cause he loved a bloody good fight of course
Went away in an old khaki van
To the banks of the river Jordan
Billy saw the Arabs and he had 'em on the run
When he got 'em in the range of his sub-machine gun
Then he got the Israelis in his sights
Went a ra-ta-ta and the ran like shites

Hey Billy son where are you now
Don't you know that we need you now
With aratata and the old kow-tow where are Billy's bones
Resting now

One night Billy had a rare old time
Laughing and singing on the Lebanon line
Came back to camp not looking too pretty
Never even got to see the Holy City
Now Billy's out there in the desert sun
And his mother cries when the morning comes
And there's mothers crying all over the world
For their poor dead darling boys and girls


Hey Billy son where are you now
Don't you know that we need you now
With aratata and the old kow-tow where are Billy's bones
Resting now

Have a Billy holiday
Born on a Monday
Married on a Tuesday
Drunk on a Wednesday
Got plugged on a Thursday
Sick on a Friday
Died on a Saturday
Buried on a Sunday

(Shane MacGowan)

SONG: The Gentleman Soldier

It's of a gentleman soldier as sentry he did stand
He saluted fair maiden by a waving of his hand
So then he boldly kissed her and passed it off as a joke
He drilled her up in the sentry box wrapped up in a soldier's cloak

And the drums are going a rap a tap tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare you well Polly my dear
I must be going away

All night they tossed and tumbled till the daylight did appear
The soldier rose put on his clothes saying Fare you well my dear
For the drums they are a beating and the fifes they so sweetly play
If it weren't for that Polly my dear with you I'd gladly stay

And the drums are going a rap a tap tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare you well Polly my dear
I must be going away

Now come you gentleman soldier won't you marry me?
Oh no my dearest Polly such things can never be
For I've a wife already children I have three
Two wives are allowed in the army but one's too many for me

And the drums are going a rap a tap tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare you well Polly my dear
I must be going away

If anyone comes a courting you, you can treat them to a glass
If anyone comes a courting you, you can say you're a country lass
You needn't ever tell them, nor pass it off as a joke
That you got drilled in sentry box wrapped up in a soldier's cloak

And the drums are going a rap a tap tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare you well Polly my dear
I must be going away

Oh it's come my gentleman soldier why didn't you tell me so
My parents will be angry when this they come to know
When nine long months had been and gone the poor girl she brought shame
She had a little militia boy and she didn't know his name

And the drums are going a rap a tap tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare you well Polly my dear
I must be going away

(Trad. Arr. The Pogues)