“Our Little Soldier” – Twelve song cycle about the futility, agony and ubiquity of war. I hope to record this as an album at some time and also do a couple of performances of it with a few friends.
CONTENTS
1) INTRODUCTION
2) OUR LITTLE SOLDIER
3) BECOME A CADET
4) MEETING MARIA
5) DON’T VOLUNTEER
6) SERGEANT MAJOR GRANDAD
7) THE CHILDREN IN THE QUEUE
8) DYING FOR LOVE
9) SIGNING UP TODAY
10) ALWAYS COMING HOME
11) BOMBARDIER
12) SON
A SOLDIER’S LIFE FROM CHILDHOOD TO DEATH.
1) INTRODUCTION
Open with laid back funereal music playing
Two women standing in the street watching the family leave a house for a funeral, they start talking:-
1st Woman – It’s such a shame ain’t it? He was only just turned twenty.
2nd Woman – I know that’s no age at all really. He was such a good looking boy too, just like his dad.
1st Woman – I can still remember him when he was little, running around in that soldier suit that he got that Christmas when it snowed a lot.
2nd Woman – Yeah, I remember, he was mad for it, I suppose he was kind of destined to be in the Army.
1st Woman – Well it was a family thing I believe, soldiering goes back generations with his family.
2nd Woman – It’s his mother and his girlfriend I feel sorry for.
1st Woman – I know, it seems such a terrible waste of a life……
2nd Woman – They’re leaving now for the funeral, I best be off, see you later.
1st Woman – Yes OK…………see you later………
Music fades as cars start and drive away.
Copyright: Harry Rogers – 1/04/2012
2) OUR LITTLE SOLDIER
IT WAS XMAS MORNING
THE SUN SPARKLED ON THE SNOW
HE WAS FIVE YEARS OLD
THE PILLOW CASE WAS BULGING
AT THE END OF HIS BED
WITH THE BRIGHT WRAPPED PRESENTS
HE WAS SO EXCITED
COULD HARLDY WAIT TO OPEN THEM
HIS MOTHER HAD THE IDEA
WHILST SHE WAS SHOPPING DOWNTOWN
IN THE NEWSAGENT WINDOW
THEY WERE DISPLAYING TOYS FOR BOYS
A SIGN CAUGHT HER EYE
ALL YOU NEED FOR YOUR LITTLE SOLDIER
SHE WAS SO INSPIRED
ALL SHE COULD THINK OF WAS HE”S
OUR LITTLE SOLDIER
OUR LITTLE SOLDIER
HE’S OUR LITTLE SOLDIER BOY
SHE GOT ALL THE FAMILY
TO BUY ALL THE DIFFERENT BITS OF KIT
SHE WRAPPED THEM UP
WHILST DRINKING WINE ON CHRISTMAS EVE
HER LITTLE SOLDIER
OPENED THEM ONE BY ONE BY ONE
THE BOOTS, THE HELMET
THE UNIFORM, GRENADES AND THE GUN
HE DRESSED HIMSELF UP
AND RAN ON DOWN TO BREAKFAST
EVERYONE WAS LAUGHING
AS HE MARCHED ROUND AND ROUND THE ROOM
SALUTED EVERYBODY
WENT ON MANOUVRES ALL AROUND THE HOUSE
SHOOTING AT THE TV
CRAWLING AND HIDING, BLOWING UP THE DOG
AND HIS DAD SAID
THAT’S
OUR LITTLE SOLDIER
OUR LITTLE SOLDIER
HE’S OUR LITTLE SOLDIER BOY
Copyright: Harry Rogers – 05/04/201
3) BECOME A CADET
FROM THE AGE OF EIGHT
OUR LITTLE SOLDIER
PLAYED VIDEO GAMES
STAYING UP TOO LATE
COMMAND AND CONQUER
HIS FAVOURITE REALM
HE RULED THE WORLD
WHEN HE TURNED TWELVE
ONE TIME HIS PAL KEVIN
CALLED BY HIS HOUSE
HE HAD THIS LEAFLET
PICTURING A YOUNG BOY
DRESSED UP IN KHAKI
WITH A FANCY BERET
AND A GOLDEN CAP BADGE
BIG YELLOW WORDS SAID
BECOME A CADET
BECOME A CADET
RIGHT THEN AND THERE
HE BECAME A CADET
HE LEARNED
HOW TO CLEAN A RIFLE
HOW TO READ A MAP
HOW FIRE A MORTAR
HOW TO DRIVE A CHAMP
HOW TO MAKE A BIVOUAC
HOW TO USE A COMPASS
HOW TO MARCH IN TIME
HOW TO MAKE HIS BOOTS SHINE
HOW TO PLAY THE PIPES AND DRUMS
HOW TO SEND A SIGNAL
HOW TO TIE A BANDAGE
AND HOW TO SHOOT A GUN
BECAME A CADET
BECAME A CADET
RIGHT THEN AND THERE
HE BECAME A CADET
Copyright: Harry Rogers – 06/04/2012
4) MEETING MARIA
AFTER SCHOOL ONE DAY
ON HIS WAY BACK FROM CHOIR
HE MET A GIRL HE’D SEEN BEFORE
BUT HE NEVER KNEW HER NAME
HE LOOKED IN HER EYES
AND SHE SMILED AT HIM
THEY AGREED TO MEET UP
LATER THAT EVENING
HE WAS DUE TO GO TO CADETS
BUT HE JUST HAD TO MEET HER
ON TOP OF PLUM PUDDING HILL
WHERE THE GRASS GROWS LONG
THEY SAT CLOSE TO EACH OTHER
SHE WAS HUMMING HER SONG
MEETING MARIA
HER NAME WAS MARIA
HE WAS MEETING MARIA
MEETING MARIA
SHE LIVED IN MERIDIAN FLATS
WITH HER FAMILY FROM CARDIFF
HER MUM WAS A VALLEYS GIRL
HER DAD A JAMAICAN SAILOR
ONE BROTHER, TWO SISTERS
SHE WAS CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE
HE LOVED HER STRAIGHT AWAY
STOPPED GOING TO CADETS
HIS LIFE WAS ALL CHANGED
SHE LAY BACK IN HIS ARMS
UPON PLUM PUDDING HILL
WHERE THE GRASS GROWS LONG
WITH HER JET BLACK HAIR
GENTLY HUMMING HER SONG
THE BEST THING THAT HAPPENED
WAS MEETING MARIA
HER NAME WAS MARIA
ALWAYS MEETING MARIA
(COPYRIGHT: HARRY ROGERS: 01/05/2012)
5) DON’T VOLUNTEER (song of Maria)
JUST THE OTHER NIGHT
AS I HELD YOU TIGHT
YOU TOLD ME SOMETHING
THAT FILLED ME WITH FRIGHT
AND I CAN’T STOP THINKING
ABOUT HOW IT WOULD FEEL
TO BE LOSING YOU
HOW WOULD IT FEEL
TO BE LOSING YOU?
MY DARLING, MY DEAR
I NEED YOU HERE
HERE BY MY SIDE
I NEED YOU HERE
PLEASE DON’T LEAD
A SOLDIER’S LIFE
I DON’T WANT TO BE
AN ARMY WIFE
SAT IN THE HALL
NEXT TO THE PHONE
WAIT ON YOUR CALL
ALWAYS ALONE
MY DARLING, MY DEAR
I NEED YOU HERE
MY DARLING, MY DEAR
DON’T VOLUNTEER
I’M DOWN ON MY KNEES
I’M BEGGING YOU PLEASE
DON’T BE A BOMBARDIER
PLEASE DON’T VOLUNTEER
Copyright Harry Rogers – 19-04-2012
6) SERGEANT MAJOR GRANDAD
GRANDAD WAS A SERGEANT MAJOR
IN THE BRIGADE OF GUARDS
FOUGHT IN WORLD WAR 11
HAD A CHEST FULL OF MEDALS
SILVER CUPS FOR SHOOTING
PHOTOGRAPHS GALORE
OUR LITTLE SOLDIER
WAS THE APPLE OF HIS EYE
HIS ONLY SON HAD DIED
RUN DOWN BY A CAR
WHEN HE WAS JUST THIRTEEEN
OUR LITLLE SOLDIER TOOK HIS PLACE
SERGEANT MAJOR GRANDAD
HAD A DREAM
SERGEANT MAJOR GRANDAD
DREAMED HIS DREAM
HE TOLD SPECIAL STORIES
ABOUT BEING BRAVE
LOOKING OUT FOR BUDDIES
HOW TO DIG A GRAVE
RIDING CAMELS IN THE DESERT
DRINKING FOREIGN BEER
HIDING BEHIND IVY
WHILST THE ENEMY’S NEAR
SEEING THE WIDE WORLD
CONQUERING HIS FEAR
PLAYING POKEY DIE
WHEN THE MOON SHINES CLEAR
OUR LITTLE SOLDIER
LEARNED A LOT BY HIS SIDE
OUR LITTLE SOLDIER
WAS WITH HIM WHEN HE DIED
SERGEANT MAJOR GRANDAD
HAD A DREAM
SERGEANT MAJOR GRANDAD
DREAMED HIS DREAM
SERGEANT MAJOR GRANDAD
SAW A LITTLE SOLDIER DREAM
Copyright Harry Rogers – 08-05-2012
7) THE CHILDREN IN THE QUEUE
AFTER SERGEANT MAJOR GRANDAD DIED
HE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL
JUST COULDN’T CONCENTRATE NO MORE
COULDN’T SEE THE POINT OF LEARNING
JUST SEVENTEEN AND SIGNING ON
LOOKING FOR ANY KIND OF JOB
THERE JUST WAS NOTHING OUT THERE
FOR AN UNTRAINED MIXED UP KID
HE JOINED THOSE
CHILDREN IN THE QUEUE
NOTHING HE COULD DO
CHILDREN IN THE QUEUE
NOTHING THEY CAN DO
HE GOT A LADDER, SPONGE AND A BUCKET
TOLD THE DOLE THEY COULD FUCKIN’ CHUCK IT
HIM AND KEVIN SET UP WASHING WINDOWS
BLEW THEIR TAKINGS ON CIDER AND WEED
GOT SO STONED IT WAS HARD TO SUCCEED
SPENT THE WHOLE SUMMER LAYING IN THE PARK
ALL THEIR FRIENDS FROM SCHOOL JOINED THEM
FEEDING THEIR HEADS FROM MORNING TILL DARK
THEY WERE THE
CHILDREN IN THE QUEUE
WHAT ELSE COULD THEY DO
CHILDREN IN THE QUEUE
NOTHING THEY CAN DO
Copyright Harry Rogers – 11-05-2012
8) DYING FOR LOVE
MARIA AND HER FAMILY WENT AWAY
THEY MOVED BACK TO CARDIFF BAY
ON THEIR LAST NIGHT TOGETHER
BOTH OF THEM WERE CRYING
THE LAST TIME THEY HELD EACH OTHER
THE LAST TIME THEY LOVED EACH OTHER
WHEN HE GOT BACK HOME AGAIN
HE FELT LIKE HE WAS DYING
DYING FOR LOVE
DYING FOR LOVE
THIS WAS THE END
HE WAS DYING FOR LOVE
HIS PARENTS SAID THAT IT WAS FOR THE BEST
WERE GLAD SHE HAD MOVED OUT TO THE WEST
SO GLAD THAT SHE WASN’T COMING BACK
DIDN’T LIKE THE FACT THAT SHE WAS BLACK
THEY SAW THE WAY AHEAD SO CLEAR
THEIR BOY COULD START HIS NEW CAREER
HE KNEW THERE WAS NO WAY THAT HE COULD SEE HER
STILL HE WAS DYING FOR THE LOVE OF HIS MARIA
DYING FOR LOVE
DYING FOR LOVE
HE WAS DYING FOR LOVE
DYING FOR THE LOVE OF HIS MARIA
Copyright: Harry Rogers – 17th May 2012
9) JOINING UP TODAY
IN THE KITCHEN IN HIS DRESSING GOWN
WAITING FOR MUM AND DAD TO COME DOWN
PUT THE KETTLE ON MADE A POT OF TEA
TOLD THEM BOTH “NOW LISTEN TO ME
I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU’VE GOT TO SAY
Y’SEE I’VE JUST GOT TO GET AWAY
THERE AIN’T NO JOBS HERE ANYWAY
I CAN’T STAND THOSE GAMES YOU PLAY
NOT SINCE YOU TURNED MY GIRL AWAY
GRANDAD WINS I’M JOINING UP TODAY
JOINING UP, JOINING UP
I’M JOINING UP TODAY
JOINING UP, JOINING UP
I’LL GET A JOB WITH PAY
I’M JOINING UP TODAY
I’M JOINING UP TODAY
YOU TURNED MY GIRL AWAY
NOW I’M JOINING UP TODAY
Copyright: Harry Rogers 18th May 2012
10) ALWAYS COMING HOME
WHEN HE WENT AWAY TO TRAIN
HE WAS STILL A SOLDIER BOY
BUT THEN HE CAME BACK HOME
AS AN ARTILLERYMAN
THEN THEY SENT HIM OUT TO BASRA
WHERE HE DID AS HE WAS TOLD
DESTROYING STREETS AND BUILDINGS
THAT WERE HOMES TO YOUNG AND OLD
BUT HE WAS
ALWAYS COMING HOME
ALWAYS COMING HOME
HE TOLD HIS MOTHER
HE WAS ALWAYS COMING HOME
GOT A MESSAGE FROM MARIA
ASKING WHERE AND HOW HE WAS
HE WAS ON PATROL IN HELMAND
WHEN HER SPECIAl TEXT CAME IN
SHE SAID SHE HAD TO SEE HIM
WHEN HE CAME BACK HOME AGAIN
SHE MISSED HIM OH SO BADLY
SHE HAD NEVER KNOWN SUCH PAIN
HE SENT HER THIS MESSAGE
ALWAYS COMING HOME
ALWAYS COMING HOME
MARIA MY LOVE
I AM ALWAYS COMING HOME
Copyright: Harry Rogers May 24 2012
11) BOMBARDIER
OUR SOLDIER, CAUGHT OUT IN THE OPEN
TRAPPED BENEATH THE LIGHT OF THE FULL WHITE MOON
THE SWEAT, BREAKING ON HIS FOREHEAD
AS IF IT WERE THE SEARING HEAT OF NOON
THE FURROWS ARE DEEP, YELLOW MUD STICKS TO HIS BOOTS
HIS FEET ARE HEAVY AS HE RUNS FOR COVER
HE SEES A FLASH AS A SNIPER SHOOTS
HIS HEART IS POUNDING, HE’S THINKING OF HIS LOVER
BOMBARDIER, BOMBARDIER, OOH BOMBARDIER
OOH WHAT IN HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?
BOMBARDIER, BOMBARDIER, OOH BOMBARDIER
IF YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE AGAIN, WOULD YOU VOLUNTEER?
CAUGHT IN CROSSFIRE, HE GETS IT, FRONT AND BACK
LYING TWISTED ON THE GROUND HE HEARS HIS PULSE THUD THUD
THE MOON DISAPPEARS BEHIND CLOUDS SO BLACK
HE SEES MARIA’S FACE REFLECTED IN HIS BLOOD
SHE LOOKS SO LOVELY, CURLS TUMBLE ROUND HER FACE
SMILING, SERENELY, SHE ASKS HIM FOR A KISS,
BUT THE VISION FADES IN A RED RED GLAZE
AS WITH HIS DYING GASP HE PURSES HIS LIPS!!
BOMBARDIER, BOMBARDIER, OOH BOMBARDIER
OOH WHAT IN HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?
BOMBARDIER, BOMBARDIER, OOH BOMBARDIER
IF ONLY YOU’D LISTENED WHEN SHE SAID DON’T VOLUNTEER?
OOH BOMBARDIER
OOH OOH BOMBARDIER
OOH OOOOOOH BOM-BAR-DIER
Copyright: Harry Rogers, London 1981
12) SON
SON, AS I STAND HERE, ALL ALONE
LOOKING DOWN, UPON YOUR STONE
I REMEMBER PASSING OUT DAY
YOU’D GROWN SO TALL, AND OH SO BRAVE
YOU LOOKED SO SMART, SO VERY PROUD
AND THE BAND WAS PLAYING, VERY LOUD
I STOOD WITH YOUR MOTHER, BY MY SIDE
BOTH OF US SWOLLEN UP WITH PRIDE,
BUT A FEELING NIGGLED, DEEP INSIDE
IN MY HEART OF HEARTS I KNEW SOMEONE HAD LIED
I KNEW THE DONKEYS HAD LIED TO THE LIONS
IN PURSUIT OF NEW FIRES FOR THEIR IRONS
SON, IT IS VERY HARD TO TAKE,
SON, I KNOW I MADE A BIG MISTAKE,
SON, I KNEW THE WAR WAS ONE BIG FAKE
SON, YOUR MUM AND I ACHE AND ACHE
WE’LL NEVER, EVER, GET THE CHANCE
TO SEE YOU DANCE YOUR WEDDING DANCE
SON, OH SON, MY LOVELY SON
SON, OH SON, MY LOVELY SON
WHEN YOU WERE STILL A LITTLE BOY
I BROUGHT YOU A BRIGHT SHINY TOY
I THOUGHT YOU’D HAVE A LOT OF FUN
PLAYING WITH YOUR NEW TOY GUN
NOW I KNOW WHAT I MUST DO
THIS IS THE PROMISE, I MAKE TO YOU
WHENEVER I MEET FATHERS AND SONS
I’LL TELL THEM ALL, SMASH UP YOUR GUNS
FATHERS AND SONS – SMASH UP YOUR GUNS
FATHERS AND SONS – SMASH UP YOUR GUNS
DO IT NOW – DO IT – FOR MY SON!
Copyright: Harry Rogers – Aberbanc 3/3/2010
harri seeing red 
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