C#m            E                        A                 G#m
Battle hymns for the broken,            Battle hymns for the misled
       E              G#m                       C#m
Battle hymns for the wretched,          The forgotten and the dead
Battle hymns of redemption,             Of solidarity and pride
Battle hymns we will be singing,        At the turning of the tide


Interlude
continuous downstrokes

C#m   E    B    C#m


Verse
continuous downstrokes

   C#m                                           E
Can you explain to the mothers,         And the fathers of those
       B                                        C#m
Who come riding home in coffins,        In their military clothes
Shiny medals pinned,                    To their dead teenage chests
While the trumpets blare,               And you lie your best
So ask all you want,                    From the dusk til the dawn
The answer's still no,                  Cause brother I'm gone


Chorus


Bridge (I haven't figured that out yet)
C#m   B   G#m   G#m


Verse
C#m   E   B   C#m

Can you explain away the sleight of hand,      And the criminality
Of spending souls for oil,                     Well in the mirror I can see
I am the path that leads down,                 I am a dark and bloody hall
I'm the reaper, executioner,                   Hangman, judge, and the law
So tie a yellow ribbon,                        Round the oak tree on the lawn
But the cavalry's not comin',                  Cause brother they're gone


Chorus


Bridge (I haven't figured that out yet)
C#m   B   G#m   G#m


Verse
C#m   E   B   C#m

So I'm sharpening my shovel,           I'm firing the kiln
I'm blind and I am purposeful,         A martyr on the hill
The dream you might be dreaming,       Might be someone else's dream tonight
I'm the whisperer of misgivings,       I'm the fading tail light
I'm the call for retribution,          From the back of the smoke filled hall
I'm the vow of bitterness,             I'm the poison in the well
I've a photographic memory,            Of the deeds I will avenge
I'm the cold in the river hollow,      I've a hatpin, I've a plan
I don't care of cause or consequence,  Head shaved and body lean
I'm the go-getter, the score settler,  I'm the shadow on the green
There's a flock of blackbirds flying,  Nearly ten thousand strong
Who set off this morning,              And brother they're gone