G F C Em
G F C Em


[Verse 1]
Em                D              C              Em
The cruel war was over ? oh, the triumph was so sweet!
Em                    D          C           Em
We watched the troops returning, through our tears;
Em                          D                C                  Em
There was triumph, triumph, triumph down the scarlet glittering street
Em                   C                      Em
And you scarce could hear the music for the cheers
Em                           D                  C               Em
And you scarce could see the house-tops for the flags that flew between;
Em                     D            C   Em
The bells were pealing madly to the sky;
Em               D                C               Em
And everyone was shouting for the soldiers of the Queen
Em      C                           Em
And the glory of an age was passing by


[Verse 2]
Em                    D                 C                Em
And then there came a shadow, swift and sudden, dark and drear;
Em             D              C    Em
The bells were silent, not an echo stirred
Em                      D             C             Em
The flags were drooping sullenly, the men forgot to cheer;
Em C                            Em
We waited, and we never spoke a word
Em           D                         C              Em
The sky grew darker, darker, till from out the gloomy rack
Em           D          C                      Em
There came a voice that checked the heart with dread:
Em                                 D                      Em
"Tear down, tear down your bunting now, and hang up sable black;
Em       C                             Em
They are coming? it's the Army of the Dead."


[Verse 3]
Em                          D                 C                Em
They were coming, they were coming, gaunt and ghastly, sad and slow
Em                        D                 C     Em
They were coming, all the crimson wrecks of pride;
Em         D           C                                        Em
With faces seared, and cheeks red smeared, and haunting eyes of woe
Em          C                        Em
And clotted holes the khaki couldn't hide
Em             D                    C                   Em
Oh, the clammy brow of anguish! the livid, foam-flecked lips!
Em          D        C          Em
The reeling ranks of ruin swept along!
Em            D                      C                         Em
The limb that trailed, the hand that failed, the bloody finger tips
Em  F                              Em
And oh, the dreary rhythm of their song!


[Verse 4]
Em                   D                  C                Em
"They left us on the veldt-side, but we felt we couldn't stop
Em C                                   Em
On this, our England's crowning festal day;
Em               D                        C            Em
We're the men of Magersfontein, we're the men of Spoin Kop
Em                 D              C   Em
Colenso? we're the men who had to pay
Em        D       C              Em
We're the men who paid the blood-price
Em        D        C       Em
Shall the grave be all our gain?
Em  F                             Em
You owe us. Long and heavy is the score
Em                    D              C                Em
Then cheer us for our glory now, and cheer us for our pain
Em  C               D             Em
And cheer us as you never cheered before."


[Verse 5]
Em                       D              C                          Em
The folks were white and stricken, each tongue seemed weighed with lead;
Em             D                  C       Em
Each heart was clutched in hollow hand of ice;
Em        D                      C             Em
And every eye was staring at the horror of the dead
Em  F                            Em
The pity of the men who paid the price
Em        C                                                     Em
They were come, were come to mock us, in the first flush of our peace;
Em               D          C              Em
Through writhing lips their teeth were all agleam;
Em                        D              C                Em
They were coming in their thousands? oh, would they never cease!
Em          D        C               Em
I closed my eyes and then ? it was a dream
Em C                                  Em
I  closed my eyes and then ? it was a dream


[Verse 6]
Em                          D                C                Em
There was triumph, triumph, triumph down the scarlet gleaming street;
Em           D      C              Em
The town was mad; a man was like a boy
Em                    D                 C            Em
A thousand flags were flaming where the sky and city meet;
Em         C                         Em
A thousand bells were thundering the joy
Em                         D                  C               Em
There was music, mirth and sunshine, but some eyes shone with regret;
Em                     D                 C  Em
And while we stun with cheers our homing braves
Em                  D             C         Em
O God, in Thy great mercy, let us nevermore forget
Em  C                                   Em
The graves they left behind, the bitter graves
Em  C                                   Em
The graves they left behind, the bitter graves