Joan Baez – One Tin Soldier Lyrics

Listen, children, to a story
That was written long ago
About a kingdom on a mountain
And a valley far below
On the mountain was a treasure
Buried deep beneath a stone
And the valley people swore
They'd have it for their very own

Chorus:
Go ahead and hate your neighbor
Go ahead and cheat your friend
Do it in the name of heaven
You can justify it in the end
There won't be any trumpets blowing
On that judgement day
On the bloody morning after
One tin soldier rides away.

So the people of the valley
Sent a message up the hill
Asking for the buried treasure
Tons of gold for which they'd kill
Came the answer from the kingdom
With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain
All the riches buried there.

(chorus)

Now the valley cried in anger
"Mount your horses! Draw your swords!"
And they killed the mountain people
Swore they'd won their just reward.
Down they stood beside the treasure
On the mountain dark and red
Turned the stone and looked beneath it
"Peace on earth" was all it said.

(chorus)