Em  Am

[Verse 1]
    Am
The watchers on the hillside stand in silence
       G
As the dawn appears
          Am
Then they gather to their horses in an instant
     G
As a sun shaft sears
            F
Through the morning mist which hangs low in the valleys
       Em
Like a serpent's tail
     F
Both poisonous to enemies and heroes
       Am
In the soldiers' tale


[Verse 2]

A lonely tower stands empty as a refuge
       G
By the sullen lake
       Am
As the straggle of survivors in their weakness
       G
Make a grave mistake
        F
For the crossroad sign which points towards the coast
        Em
Is yet another nail
       F
In the cross of the Pretender and his comrades
       Am
In the soldiers' tale


[Verse 3]
    F                         C
The dream we once knew is now over
              G
The battle is lost
                  Em
The retreat has begun
                  F                       C
Let us make our escape in the dead of the night
                      Ab
While the lone widows wail
       A
In the soldiers' tale


[Verse 4]
    Am
The French boat at the ready, stands at anchor
       G
On the swollen tide
    Am
His loyal followers raise a faint cheer
      G
As he draws aside
       F
The Pretender's cause is lost, a sad farewell
       Em
As the boat sets sail
        F
And the rain hurls down on the challenge of the gauntlet
       Am               F
In the soldiers' tale


[Verse 5]
              Am
The soldiers' song is never sung
              A7
The soldiers' battle never won
              Am7
The soldiers' lives are bought an sold
              Am
The soldiers' bayonets are cold
              A7
The soldiers' guns are never fired
              Am7
The soldiers' eyes are never tired
              Dm
The soldiers' hearts are filled with hate
            A               Am
A soldier's cause must ever wait