G                                   Am
King Henry marched forth, a sword in his hand,
G                                   Dm
Two thousand horsemen all at his command;
     G             Am         G
In a fortnight the rivers ran red through the land,
    Dm           Am          G
The year fifteen hundred and twenty.

[Verse 2]
                                  Am
The year it is now nineteen sixty-five,
     G                        Dm
It's easier far to stay half-alive.
     G               Am             G
Just keep your mouth shut while the planes zoom and dive
    Dm             Am       G
Ten thousand miles over the ocean.

[Verse 3]
                           Am
Simon was drafted in sixty-three
G                            Dm
In sixty-four, sent over the sea
G               Am        G
Last month this letter he sent to me
   Dm               Am            G
He said, "You won't like what I'm sayin'."

[Verse 4]
                                             Am
He said, "We've no friends here, no hardly a one,
      G                                    Dm
We've got a few generals who just want our guns.
          G              Am            G
But it'll take more than that if we're ever to win;
     Dm            Am          G
Why, we'll have to flatten the country."

[Verse 5]
                                                 Am
"It's my own troops I have to watch out for," he said,
   G                                  Dm
"I sleep with a pistol right under my head;"
   G               Am          G
He wrote this last month, last week he was dead,
    Dm         Am        G
And Simon came home in a casket.

[Verse 6]
                                   Am
I mind my own business, I watch my TV,
   G                            Dm
Complain about taxes but pay anyway.
     G         Am            G
In a civilized manner my forefathers betray
    Dm       Am            G
Who long ago struggled for freedom.

[Verse 7]
                                          Am
But each day a new headline screams at my bluff,
   G                               Dm
On TV some general says we must be tough.
      G        Am            G
In my dreams I stare at this family I love
    Dm         Am             G
All gutted and spattered with napalm.

[Verse 8]
     G                                   Am
King Henry marched forth, a sword in his hand,
G                                   Dm
Two thousand horsemen all at his command;
     G             Am         G
In a fortnight the rivers ran red through the land,
    Dm           Am          G
The year fifteen hundred and twenty.

[Verse 9]
                                  Am
The year it is now nineteen sixty-five,
     G                        Dm
It's easier far to stay half alive.
     G               Am             G
Just keep your mouth shut while the planes zoom and dive
    Dm                       G
Ten thousand miles over the ocean.

[Alternate verse 2/9:]
    G                            Am
The year it is now much later it seems,
     G                              Dm
It's easier far, in the land of our dreams,
     G               Am       G
Just keep your mouth shut and don't hear the screams
    Dm             Am       G
Ten thousand miles over the ocean.