Christmas In The Trenches-John McDermott

[00:05.53]Oh my name is francis tolliver I come from liverpool [00:12.64]Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school [00:19.27]From belgium and to flanders germany to here [00:26.11]I fought for king and country I love dear [00:33.13]Twas christmas in the trenches and the frost so bitter hung [00:40.12]The frozen fields of france where still no christmas songs were sung [00:46.82]Our families back in england were toasting us that day [00:53.70]There brave and glorious lads so far away [01:01.06]I was lying with my mess mates on the cold and rocky ground [01:08.32]When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound [01:15.51]Says I now listen up me boys each soldier strained to hear [01:22.67]As one young german voice sang out so clear [01:29.80]Hes singing bloody well you know my partner says to me [01:36.45]Soon one by one each german voice joined in in harmony [01:44.38]The cannons rested silent and the gas cloud rolled no more [01:51.44]As christmas brought us respite from the war [01:57.58] [02:13.17]As soon as they were finished and a reverent pause was spent [02:20.02]God rest ye merry gentlemen struck up some lads from kent [02:27.42]The next thing sang was stille nach tis silent night says i [02:34.72]And in two tongues one song filled up that sky [02:42.07]Theres someone coming towards us now the front line sentry said [02:49.46]All sights were fixed on one lone figure trudging from their side [02:56.28]His truce flag like a christmas star shone on the plane so bright [03:03.37]As he bravely trudged unarmed into the night [03:11.32]Then one by one on either side walked in to no mans land [03:19.10]With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand [03:25.93]We shared some secret brandy and we wished each other well [03:32.71]And in a flare lit football game we gave them hell [03:40.36]We traded chocolates cigarettes and photographs from home [03:47.24]These sons and father far away from families of their own [03:54.86]Ton sanders played the squeeze box and they had a violin [04:02.18]This curious and unlikely band of men [04:08.28] [04:25.79]Soon daylight stole upon us and france was france once more [04:34.02]With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war [04:40.73]But the question haunted every heart that lived that wonderous night [04:48.37]Whose family have I fixed within my sights [04:55.04]Twas christmas in the trenches and the frost so bitter hung [05:02.54]The frozen fields of france were warmed the songs of peace were sung [05:09.83]For the walls theyd kept between us to exact the work of war [05:17.16]Had been crumbled and were gone forever more [05:26.29] [05:40.22]Oh my name is francis tolliver from liverpool I dwell [05:47.86]Each christmas comes since world war I have learned its lesson well [05:55.04]For the one who calls the shots wont be among the dead and lame [06:02.82]And on each end of the rifle were the same [06:09.64]