Christmas in the Trenches
By John McCutcheon
Winter Solstice (1984)
As interpreted by Joe G
Capo on 2
INTRO: , , ,
My name is Frances Tolliver, I come from Liver-pool
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school
To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany, to here
I fought for King and country I love dear
'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung
The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung
Our families back in England were toasting us that day
Their brave and glorious lads so far a-way
I was lying with my messmate, on the cold and rocky ground
When a-cross the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound
Says I, now listen up me boys, each soldier strained to hear
As one young German voice sang out so clear
He's singing bloody well you know, my partner says to me
Soon one by one each German voice, joined in in har-mo-ny
The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more
As Christmas brought us respite from the war
As soon as they were finished, and a reverent pause was spent
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, struck up some lads from Kent
The next they sang was "Stille Nacht", 'tis "Silent Night" says I
And in two tongues, one song filled up that sky
There's someone comin' t'wards us, the frontline sentry cried
All sights were fixed on one lone figure trudging from their side
His truce flag like a Christmas star shone on that plain so bright
As he bravely strode un-armed into the night
Then one by one, on either side, walked into No Man's Land
With neither gun or bayonet, we met there hand to hand
We shared some secret brandy and wished each other well
And in a flare-lit soccer game, we gave 'em hell
We traded chocolates, cigarettes and photographs from home
These sons and fathers far away from families of their own
Young Sanders played his squeezebox and they had a vi-o-lin
This curious and un-likely band of men
Soon daylight stole u-pon us, and France was France once more
With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night
Whose family have I fixed within my sights
'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung
The frozen fields of France were warmed as Christmas songs were sung
For the walls they kept be-tween us to ex-act the work of war
Had been crumbled and are gone for ever-more
Oh my name is Frances Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell
Each Christmas come since World War One, I've learned it's lessons well
That the ones who call the shots, won't be a-mong the dead and lame
And on each end of the rifle, we're the same