The Green Fields Of France
John McDermott Lyrics

How do you do young willie mcbride,
The singer is addressing a young soldier named Willie McBride and is asking how he is doing.

Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside,
The singer is asking Willie if he can sit by his grave for a while.

And rest for a while 'neath the warm summer sun,
The singer is taking a break from walking and wants to rest under the sun.

I've been walking all day and I'm nearly done
The artist has been walking all day and is tired.

I see by your gravestone you were only 19
The artist is reading the name and age on Willie's gravestone.

When you joined the great fall-in in 1916
Willie joined the military in 1916 to fight in a war.

I hope you died well and I hope you died clean
The singer wishes Willie a peaceful and honorable death.

Or young willie mcbride was it slow and obscene.
The artist wonders if Willie's death was slow and painful.

Did they beat the drum slowly did they play the fife lowly
The artist is asking about the funeral proceedings for Willie.

Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down
The artist wants to know if the funeral procession was somber and reflective of death.

Did the band play the last post and chorus
The singer is wondering if the last post and chorus were played during the funeral.

Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest
The artist is asking if a Scottish song called The Flowers of the Forest was played during the funeral.

Did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind
The singer wants to know if Willie had someone he loved who was left behind.

In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined
The singer is asking if Willie is remembered by someone who loved him dearly.

Although you died back in 1916
The singer is acknowledging that Willie died a long time ago.

In that faithful heart are you forever 19
The artist believes that Willie will always be remembered as a young man.

Or are you a stranger without even a name
The artist is wondering if Willie is remembered by anyone, or if he is forgotten.

Enclosed then forever behind a glass frame
The singer is describing an old photograph of Willie that is faded and kept in a glass frame.

In an old photograph torn, battered and stained
The singer is describing the poor condition of the photograph of Willie.

And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame.
The artist is further detailing the condition of the photograph of Willie.

The sun now it shines on the green fields of france
The artist is describing the present day in France, where the sun is shining and the fields are green.

There's a warm summer breeze makes the red poppies dance
The artist is noticing the movement of red poppies in the warm breeze.

And look how the sun shines from under the clouds
The singer is noticing the sun shining through clouds.

There's no gas, no barbwire, there's no guns firing now
The artist is relieved that there is no sign of war in the area.

But here in this graveyard it's still no man's land
The singer is acknowledging that even in the peaceful present day, the graveyard is still a place of death and sadness.

The countless white crosses stand mute in the sand
The singer is noting the many graves and white crosses that stand as a memorial to those who died in war.

To man's blind indifference to his fellow man
The singer is reflecting on the fact that war is caused by humanity's inability to empathize with each other.

To a whole generation that were butchered and damned.
The artist is expressing sadness and anger at the loss of an entire generation of young men who were killed in war.

Now young willie mcbride I can't help wonder why
The artist is once again addressing Willie and is wondering why he and so many others had to die in war.

Do those who lie here know why did they die
The singer is wondering if the soldiers buried here know the reason for their deaths.

Did they believe when they answered the call
The singer is asking if the soldiers believed they were doing the right thing when they joined the military.

Did they really believe that this war would end wars
The artist is asking if the soldiers truly believed that fighting in this war would prevent future wars from happening.

Well the sorrow, the suffering, the glory, the pain
The artist is acknowledging the many emotions and experiences that come with war.

The killing and the dying were all done in vain
The artist is stating that all the death and destruction of war was for nothing and achieved nothing.

For young willie mcbride it all happened again,
The singer is expressing sadness that events like the war Willie died in have happened repeatedly throughout history.

And again and again and again and again
The artist is emphasizing the cyclical nature of war and the repetition of tragedy throughout history.