Saint Patrick's Battalion Lyrics And Chords

The sheet music is included. Written by David Rovics Optional chords: Dsus2 (XX0230), Bsus2 (224402), D and Bm may be used instead. Another song about John Reilly from Clifden Galway and The St. Patrick's Battilion who fought for the Mexicans against America in 1847.

Intro: D-Dsus2-D   D-Dsus2-D
My [D]name is John [Bm]Riley –Bsus2
I'll [G]have your ear only a [D]while –Dsus2
I [G]left my dear home in [D]Ireland –F#m
It was [Bm]death, star[F#m]vation or [Bm]exile –A-G
And [G]when I got to A[D]merica –Dsus2
It [G]was my duty to [Bm]go
[D]Enter the Army and [G]slog across Texas
To [A]join in the war against [Bm]Mexico –Bsus2-Bm-A

And it was [D]there in the pueblos and [Bm]hillsides –Bsus2
That I [G]saw the mistake I had [D]made –Dsus2
[G]Part of a conquering [D]army –F#m
With the [Bm]morals of a [F#m]bayonet [Bm]blade –A-G
So in the [G]midst of these poor, dying [D]Catholics –Dsus2
Screaming [G]children, the burning stench of it [Bm]all
My[D]self and two hundred [G]Irishmen
De[A]cided to rise to the [Bm]call
 
Chorus
From Dublin [G]City to San [D]Diego –Dsus2
[A]We witnessed freedom de[Bm]nied
So we [G]formed the Saint Patrick Ba[D]ttalion
And we [A]fought on the Mexican [Bm]side –Bsus2
We [G]formed the Saint Patrick Ba[D]ttalion
And we [A]fought on the Mexican [Bm]side –Bsus2-Bm-A
We [D]marched 'neath the green flag of Saint [Bm]Patrick –Bsus2
Em[G]blazoned with "Erin Go [D]Bragh" –Dsus2
[G]Bright with the harp and the [D]shamrock –F#m
And "Liber[Bm]tad para [F#m]Republi[Bm]ca" –A-G
[G]Just fifty years after [D]Wolftone –Dsus2
[G]Five thousand miles a[Bm]way
The Yanks [D]called us a Legion of [G]Strangers
And [A]they can talk as they [Bm]may

“But” - Chorus
We [D]fought them in Mata[Bm]moros –Bsus2
While their [G]volunteers were raping the [D]nuns –Dsus2
In [G]Monterey and Cerro [D]Gordo –F#m
We [Bm]fought on as [F#m]Ireland's [Bm]sons –A-G
We were the [G]red-headed fighters for [D]freedom –Dsus2
Amidst these [G]brown-skinned women and [Bm]men
Side by [D]side we fought against [G]tyranny
And I [A]daresay we'd do it a[Bm]gain

Chorus  + instrumental verse + instrumental chorus
We [D]fought them in five major [Bm]battles –Bsus2
Churo[G]busco was the [D]last –Dsus2
Over[G]whelmed by the cannons from [D]Boston –F#m
We [Bm]fell after [F#m]each mortar [Bm]blast –A-G
[G]Most of us died on that [D]hillside –Dsus2
In the [G]service of the Mexican [Bm]state
So [D]far from our occupied [G]homeland
We were [A]heroes and victims of [Bm]fate
Chorus without lines 5 and 6 + full Chorus

​Saint Patrick's Battalion Sheet Music