Small Rebellion

CAPO: 2nd Fret Intro: Well, friends, hereby hangs a tale The year was nineteen thirty-one A good job digging for the king While there's so many on the bum I'd done my time across in France Fought at Moreaux and at Vimy Done my service for my country Thought I'd put the guns behind me I should have known it from the start Peace may be signed between two nations But for protection of your rights My friends, it's always battle stations And so it was the union boys Set up shop there in the coalfields Said that they would be our voice Said that they would be our shield INTERLUDE: They said just a little march Across the town and past the station Some fine strong speakers and a band A fairly peaceful congregation Let them know that we were strong Show them we could be united Show them we had found our voice And that we would not be frightened I should have known it from the start Workers marching makes them nervous I saw no menace in our group Peaceful of heart and stout of purpose The local peelers were forewarned It's sure as hell they were forearmed How could we cause them any trouble? How could they be so alarmed? INTERLUDE: Armed with truncheons and with guns They took their line across the road Their faces cast in stone I heard the call to aim and load Saw the deadly muzzle flash Saw the people drop around me Took a bullet to the leg My friends, and that is how they found me I should have known it from the start Should have seen the trouble coming Seen the ugly twist of fate Turned my tail and started running Known when push has come to shove And it's a heavy hand that feeds you That the job that was your life Becomes the job that slowly beats you Bridge: No use, no use, for the ranting of the government men No use, for their fine print and their fountain pen No use, no use in me denying This small rebellion's over, but I'm leaving here unbowed INTERLUDE: And when the dust had finally cleared When all dissent had been put down I packed my life in two worn bags the train and left the town In this case justice sure was blind At least blind to human suffering They said they'd put us in our place And I guess they weren't bluffing I should have known it from the start It's not the truth that really matters The real world tramples on such things Leaves your mental state in tatters Makes the blowing prairie dust Seem like it is stationary Makes the proudest person humble And the strongest person wary Makes the proudest person humble And the strongest person wary