Unknown_War_Criminal audio audio_bookspoetry Mandolin;Anti-War;Political;Antiwar Songs;Satire;War crimes http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/ A newly composed song by Gerry Dempsey. On this recording, Gerry plays mandolin and also overdubs bass and drums. Vocals and acoustic guitar by Tom Joad. Another recording of this song with vocals by Gerry can be heard <a href="http://www.archive.org/audio/audio-details-db.php?collection=opensource_audio&collectionid=Dempsey_Unknown_War_Criminal2">here</a>. Lyrics and Guitar Chords (Note: the chords positions are displaced in places by the conversion to a web-page). <b>The Unknown War Criminal</b> Capo 5 Am He likes the tales and legends, G The mighty deeds of yore F How he strode across the century Am And wrote his own folklore. Am They praised his deeds in sagas, G Adventures told in song, F Proud, heroic stanzas Am Of the Terrible and the Strong. [Break] Dm Am G Em Am Am We used the Russians for roulette, G The dogs we had to train, F We needed target practise Am But peasants feel no pain. Dm The mothers of the Disappeared, Am Their voices now subliminal, G Em Standing by the graveside Am Of the unknown war criminal. [Break] Dm Am G Em Am Am Behind the Iron Curtain, G Behind the barbed-wire fence, F What untold deeds of chivalry Am Might spring to his defence? Am Those girls were asking for it. G They were just the spoils of war. F The daughter of the enemy Am Is no better than a whore. Am And that old crippled lady G Some people thought it twisted F She didn't need her valuables Am C She shouldn't have resisted. G Em She couldn't take it with her. G Em She didn't own the lease Dm On all her prize possessions. Am It was a merciful release. Dm The names, the dates, the places, Am Forgotten and invisible G Em Record a fitting monument Am To the unknown war criminal. [Break] Dm Am G Em Am Am And after the atrocities G We made a decent home. F The houses were all vacant. Am The owners were unknown. Am The universal soldier, G The unsung common man, F How many stabbed a neighbours back Am And took away his land? Am In the fog of war his mighty deeds G Were difficult to determine; F Who was friend and who was foe, Am Who was Russian, who was German. Dm The names, the dates, the places, Am Forgotten and invisible G Em Record a fitting monument Am To the unknown war criminal. [Break] Dm Am G Em Am Am We were just obeying orders. G We couldn't disobey. F I didn't know no better. Am It wasn't me, anyway! Am And now the unknown soldier G Prefers to remain unknown, F To read heroic poetry Am And never to atone. Dm The names, the dates, the places, Am Forgotten and invisible G Em Record a fitting monument Am To the unknown war criminal. 2005-00-00 00:00:00 1 2005-03-23 21:09:34 2005-03-23 10:13:08 Tom Joad tomjoad2005@yahoo.com Tom Joad 2005-05-17 03:44:18 Born digital Gerry Dempsey 3 min Contact: tomjoad2005[at]yahoo.com g52dempsey[at]yahoo.co.uk sound 2006-01-02 07:10:21 Tom Joad