The Black 47 - Vinegar Hill lyrics

The sun was settin' the rocks on fire The fields blisterin' with the heat When the militia came marchin' through our town Knockin' sparks off the little streets The priest watched them from his front door The sweat sparklin' on his skin When they burned his little chapel down He grabbed his missal and his gun I must go down to Wexford town Where the lightnin cracks the air And the people sing of freedom They've banished all despair The coward dies a million times The freeman dies just once So here's to you revolution May your flame keep burnin' 'til We meet our Armageddon Up high on Vinegar Hill The priest's name was Citizen Murphy I didn't like him much He didn't believe in the rights of man Just the power of the Catholic Church But I never saw a man as brave I'd follow him to hell Or to d**h in Enniscorthy On that godforsaken hill Fr. Murphy: "I get down on my knees everyday And I pray to my God But his face he has turned away From his people I have racked my brains for a compromise But to what end? Only one question remains Why have you deserted me, Oh Christ? The Bishop advises that all arms must be surrendered Leaving ourselves defenseless Against His Majesty and His royal plunderers But if the Bishop be a pawn I must ask myself whether it is better To die like a dog in a ditch Or rise up with my people - the poor against the rich? I return to my prayers And reflect upon Your tortured lips But not a word do I hear Just a veil of silence around the crucifix And I remember the Bishop's words "When faith is gone, all hope is lost" Well, so be it, I will rise up with my people And to hell with the eternal cost!" The sun beat down on the fields of corn The sweat was in our eyes When we heard the militia approachin' With their trumpets and their fifes The priest rode by on his silver horse The fire had cleansed his soul He said "let's strike a blow for freedom, boys," Then we blew that scum right off the road I must go down to Wexford town Where the lightnin' cracks the air And the people sing of freedom They've banished all despair The coward dies a million times The freeman dies just once So here's to you revolution May your flame keep burnin' 'til We meet our Armageddon Up high - on Vinegar Hill