The Green Fields of France - Ronan Tynan

Ronan Tynan singing The Green Fields of France. Written By Eric Bogle. in concert in Ellis Island.

Well, how do you do, young Willie McBride,
Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside?
And rest for awhile neath the warm summer sun,
I've been walking all day, and I'm nearly done.
I see by your gravestone you our only 19
When you joined the great fallen in 1916,
I hope you died well and I hope you died clean
Or, Willie McBride, was it slow and obscene?

Did they Beat the drum slowly, did the play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the 'death march' as they lowered you down?
did band play The Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

Did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind
In some fateful heart is your memory enshrined?
And, though you died back in 1916,
in that fatal heart are you forever 19?
Or are you a stranger without even a name,
Enclosed in forever behind a glass pane,
In an old photograph, torn and tattered and stained,
And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame?

Did they Beat the drum slowly, did the play the pipe lowly?
Did they sound the 'death march' as they lowered you down?
Did band play The Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

The sun now it shines on the green fields of France;
there's warm summers breeze, it makes red poppies dance.
And look how the sun comes from under the clouds;
there's No gas no barbed wire, no guns firing now.
But here in this graveyard it's still No Man's Land
the countless white crosses lie mute in the sand
to man's blind indifference to his fellow man.
To a whole generation who were butchered and damned.

Did they Beat the drum slowly, did the play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the 'death march' as they lowered you down?
Did band play The Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

Young Willie McBride, I can't help wonder why,
Do all those who lie here why they died?
Did you really believe when they told you "The Cause?"
Did you really believe that this war would end wars?
Well the sorrow, the suffering the glory, the pain
The killing, and dying, was all done in vain,
For Willie McBride, it all happened again,
again, and again, and again, and again.

Did they Beat the drum slowly, did the play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the 'death march' as they lowered you down?
Did band play The Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

Category:

Music

Tags:

• the
• green
• fields
• of
• france
• willie
• mcbride
• Ronan
• Tynan
• irish
• tenors
• world
• war
• one

[HelenSSpencer77]

would just like to thank machree01 for all the great stuff. Like them best of all.

[machree01]

Thanks very much, Helen.

[Marbelt1]

What a magnificent voice!! and a beautiful song!! It brings tears to my eyes to think of all the young men and women who die in these aweful wars. God Bless them all and may they RIP.

[joeygsmom]

one of the saddest but most honest songs Ive heard...

[TheEodguy1970]

If man kind only learned from the past. We all have lost friends and loved ones to war. I know I have lost many comrads and friends over my life. R.I.P

[randomquotage]

It's 11/11/11 here in Australia. 1918 was 93 years ago. 1945 was 66 years ago. Still the plights of these men make me cry, and feel proud to my core.

LEST WE FORGET!

[pedrocubano133]

@RPenta Some pull?? More like iron fisted rule!!

[SuperListener123]

There's a gorgeous new version of this. Sung by a young woman - completely different take on it - sounds like she's singing into Willie McBride's ear. Have a look at Shaefri - The Green Fields of France.

[olehowie72]

I think this version is the best I have heard of this song. Ronans' voice and the Orchestra adaptation are outstanding. He is truly a remarkable singer.

Thank you for posting this video of the concert. I have tried to find this song sung by Ronan on CD but have not been successful.

[RPenta]

@pedrocubano133

I guess the Jews still have some pull in NY.

[NewWaveFan1]

epic. 

[1carolstepp]

@pedrocubano133 Tell me about this dismissal by the Yankees. I did not know he was working for the Yankees. I recently asked him to become a friend, and commented that I like the BoSox. I may have insulted him, not knowing the story.

Write me at c.stepp@mail.utexas.edu, please, and tell me this story. Carol Stepp

[Ford30ABusCpe]

Amen, Ronan, Amen.