The Nightwatchman – Battle Hymns lyrics

Battle hymns for the broken
Battle hymns for the mislead
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

Can you explain to the mothers and the fathers of those
Who come riding home in coffins in their military clothes
Shiny metals pinned on their dead teenage chests
While the trumpets blare

And you lie your best, so ask all you want
From the dusk till the dawn
The answer is still no
Cause brother I'm gone

Battle hymns for the broken
Battle hymns for the mislead
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

Can you explain away the slide 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 the 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 calvarys not comin cause brother their gone

Battle hymns for the broken
Battle hymns for the mislead
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

So I'm sharpening my shovel
And I'm firing my kilm
I'm blind and I am purposeful
A martyr on the hill

The dream you might be dreamin
Might be someone elses dream tonight
I'm the whisperer of misgivens
And I'm the fading tail light

I'm the call for retrobution
From the back of the smoke filled hall
I'm the vile of bitterness
I am the poison in the well

I'm the photographic memory
Of the deeds I will avenge
I'm the cold in the river hollow
I have a hat pin, I have a plan

And I don't care for cause of consequence
Head shaved and body lean
I'm the go-getter, the score-settler
I'm the shadow on the green

And there's a flock of black birds flying
Nearly ten thousand strong
They were set off this morning
And brother, their gone

Battle hymns for the broken
Battle hymns for the mislead
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