this is a very old song,it begins with the words;in the station in the city,a british soldier stood
I would like to know who sings it and if it is available,THANK YOU
*************************************
"SOLDIER IN A STATION" By: Harvey Andrews
*************************************
In a station in the city, a British soldier stood
Talking to the people there, if the people would
Some just stared in hatred and others turned in pain
And the lonely British soldier, wished he was back home again
'Come join the British Army' said the posters in his town
'See the world and have your fun, come serve before the Crown'
The jobs were hard to come by and he could not face the dole
So he took his country's shilling and enlisted on the roll
For there was no fear of fighting, the Empire long was lost
Just ten years in the army, getting paid for being bossed
Then leave a man experienced, a man who's made the grade
A medal and a pension, some memories and a trade
Then came the call to Ireland as the call has come before
Another bloody chapter in an endless Civil War
The priests they stood on both sides, the priests they stood behind
Another fight in Jesus' name, the blind against the blind
The soldier stood between them, between the whistling stones
And then the broken bottles, that led to broken bones
The petrol bombs that burned his hand, the nails that pierced his skin
And wished that he had stayed at home surrounded by his kin
The station filled with people, the soldier soon was bored
But better in the station than where the people warred
The room filled up with mothers, with daughters and with sons
Who stared with itchy fingers at the soldier and his guns
A yell of fear, a screech of brakes, a shattering of glass
The window of the station broke to let the package pass
The scream came from the mothers as they ran toward the door
Dragging children crying from the bomb upon the floor
The soldier stood and could not move, his gun he could not use
He knew the bomb had seconds left, not minutes on the fuse
He could not run to pick it up and throw it on the street
There were far too many people there, too many running feet.
'Take cover' yelled the soldier, 'take cover for your lives'
And the Irishmen threw down their young and stood before their wives
They turned toward the soldier, their eyes alive with fear
'For God's sake, save our children or they'll end their short lives here'
The soldier moved towards the bomb, his stomach like a stone
'Why was this his battle, God, why was he alone?'
He lay down on the package and he murmured one farewell
To those at home in England, to those he loved so well
He saw the sights of summer, felt the wind upon his brow
The young girls in the city park, how precious were they now
The soaring of the swallow, the beauty of the swan
The music of the turning earth, so soon it would be gone
The muffled soft explosion and the room began to quake
The soldier blown across the floor, his blood a crimson lake
They never heard him cry or shout, they never heard him moan
And they turned their children's' faces from the blood and from the bone
The crowds outside soon gathered, and the ambulances came
To carry off the body of a pawn lost to the game
And the crowd they clapped and jeered, and they sang their rebel songs
One soldier less to interfere where he did not belong
And will the children growing up, learn at their mothers knee
The story of the soldier who bought their liberty
Who used his youthful body as the means towards the end
Who gave his life to those, who called him 'murderer' not 'friend'
Mandy, Harvey Andrews is a singer of folk songs in the UK. He does a lot of tours round local theatres, pubs, folk groups. He writes all his own material. If you are in the UK it is worth looking at his website:
www.harveyandrews.com.
thank you for your help,I am in Australia,do you know if I can get the song?either through downloading or purchase??
Quote:
Originally Posted by SMazac128
*************************************
"SOLDIER IN A STATION" By: Harvey Andrews
*************************************
In a station in the city, a British soldier stood
Talking to the people there, if the people would
Some just stared in hatred and others turned in pain
And the lonely British soldier, wished he was back home again
'Come join the British Army' said the posters in his town
'See the world and have your fun, come serve before the Crown'
The jobs were hard to come by and he could not face the dole
So he took his country's shilling and enlisted on the roll
For there was no fear of fighting, the Empire long was lost
Just ten years in the army, getting paid for being bossed
Then leave a man experienced, a man who's made the grade
A medal and a pension, some memories and a trade
Then came the call to Ireland as the call has come before
Another bloody chapter in an endless Civil War
The priests they stood on both sides, the priests they stood behind
Another fight in Jesus' name, the blind against the blind
The soldier stood between them, between the whistling stones
And then the broken bottles, that led to broken bones
The petrol bombs that burned his hand, the nails that pierced his skin
And wished that he had stayed at home surrounded by his kin
The station filled with people, the soldier soon was bored
But better in the station than where the people warred
The room filled up with mothers, with daughters and with sons
Who stared with itchy fingers at the soldier and his guns
A yell of fear, a screech of brakes, a shattering of glass
The window of the station broke to let the package pass
The scream came from the mothers as they ran toward the door
Dragging children crying from the bomb upon the floor
The soldier stood and could not move, his gun he could not use
He knew the bomb had seconds left, not minutes on the fuse
He could not run to pick it up and throw it on the street
There were far too many people there, too many running feet.
'Take cover' yelled the soldier, 'take cover for your lives'
And the Irishmen threw down their young and stood before their wives
They turned toward the soldier, their eyes alive with fear
'For God's sake, save our children or they'll end their short lives here'
The soldier moved towards the bomb, his stomach like a stone
'Why was this his battle, God, why was he alone?'
He lay down on the package and he murmured one farewell
To those at home in England, to those he loved so well
He saw the sights of summer, felt the wind upon his brow
The young girls in the city park, how precious were they now
The soaring of the swallow, the beauty of the swan
The music of the turning earth, so soon it would be gone
The muffled soft explosion and the room began to quake
The soldier blown across the floor, his blood a crimson lake
They never heard him cry or shout, they never heard him moan
And they turned their children's' faces from the blood and from the bone
The crowds outside soon gathered, and the ambulances came
To carry off the body of a pawn lost to the game
And the crowd they clapped and jeered, and they sang their rebel songs
One soldier less to interfere where he did not belong
And will the children growing up, learn at their mothers knee
The story of the soldier who bought their liberty
Who used his youthful body as the means towards the end
Who gave his life to those, who called him 'murderer' not 'friend'
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I remember everyone of these words, as my dad was in army and it was played in our house when he served in Ireland, I was a young girl, but it made me cry
I have been looking for this song for years - an army friend recorded it for me in the late 70s on (shhhhhhhhhh!) 'cassette' ! Anyway, the cassette died, but anyone who wants a trip down memory lane should use the link below and go to Harvey Andrews' site - if you go to the album "Writer of Songs", you get a chance to listen to some of Soldier!!! Cool eh!?! Alternatively you can also buy the album there! Enjoy.
Patty
http://www.abicat.co.uk/harveyandrews/harveyandrews.htm
Remember tis song well, I believe the Sun published the words and the song was banned.
The album is writer of songs and has some great name playing on it, not mention many other fantastic tracks.
I was a kid when the song came out but my father was military so i knew it, many years later I was a firefighter and met another firefighter who not only knew the song and was suprised i did, but also knew the soldier who died.
thankful the "troubles" are now resolved.
With regard to the singer /writer listen to his songs - a nice guy.
As a firefighter the 911 attacks hit home hard and Harvey Andrews replied to a message on his site in the way you would expect from his songs.
I've not seen him since i was a kid (25 years back) and now live in Canada so doubt it will happen now. If you get the chance go and see him. Another song to listen out for is Margarita (believe the album is "songs from a corner seat" listen to that without a tear coming to your eye.
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