Sunday Bloody Sunday
John and Yoko Lyrics
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When they shot the people there
The cries of thirteen martyrs
Filled the free Derry air
Is there any one among you
Dare to blame it on the kids?
Not a soldier boy was bleeding
When they nailed the coffin lids!
Sunday bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday's the day!
You claim to be majority
Well you know that it's a lie
You're really a minority
On this sweet Emerald Isle
When Stormont bans our marchers
They've got a lot to learn
Internment is no answer
It's those mother's turn to burn!
Sunday bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday's the day!
You Anglo pigs and Scotties
Sent to colonize the north
You wave your bloody Union Jacks
And you know what it's worth!
How dare you hold on to ransom
A people proud and free
Keep Ireland for the Irish
Put the English back to sea!
Sunday bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday's the day!
Yes it's always bloody Sunday
In the concentration camps
Keep Falls and roads free forever
From the bloody English hands
Repatriate to Britain
All of you who call it home
Leave Ireland to the Irish
Not for London or for Rome!
Sunday bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday's the day!
The John and Yoko Plastic Ono Band's song "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is a political song about the events of January 30, 1972, also known as Bloody Sunday. On this day, British soldiers shot unarmed civil rights protesters in Derry, Northern Ireland, killing 13 people. The lyrics of the song focus on the perspective of Irish republicans and their anger towards the British government and their actions in Ireland. The first verse describes the violence that occurred on Bloody Sunday, with "the cries of thirteen martyrs" filling the "free Derry air." The second verse is a direct challenge to those in power, with the lyrics daring anyone to "blame it on the kids" and highlighting the fact that no soldiers were injured in the shooting. The chorus, "Sunday bloody Sunday/Bloody Sunday's the day!" emphasizes the ongoing violence and struggle for Irish independence.
In the third verse, the lyrics become more explicitly focused on the British government and its actions in Ireland, with references to "Anglo pigs and Scotties" who were "sent to colonize the north." The lyrics go on to call for the repatriation of those who call Britain home and for Ireland to be left for the Irish. The final verse brings attention to the ongoing violence and conflict in Northern Ireland, likening it to a concentration camp and calling for the freedom of Falls and roads.
Overall, the song is a powerful call for justice and independence for Ireland, and serves as a reminder of the tragic events of Bloody Sunday and the ongoing struggle for Irish freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it was Sunday Bloody Sunday
The day was Sunday and it was very violent, with bloodshed.
When they shot the people there
People were shot by someone at that place.
The cries of thirteen martyrs
Thirteen people who were killed were being commemorated.
Filled the free Derry air
The sounds of the cries were heard everywhere in Derry, even though it was supposed to be a free and peaceful place.
Is there any one among you
Does anyone have any answers or explanations for what happened?
Dare to blame it on the kids?
Is it fair to blame the children for what happened?
Not a soldier boy was bleeding
Soldiers were not the ones who were harmed by the violence.
When they nailed the coffin lids!
Coffins were closed in memory of those who were killed.
You claim to be the majority
You say that most people support you.
Well you know that it's a lie
But you know deep down that it's not true.
You're really a minority
Actually, you are the minority in this situation.
On this sweet Emerald Isle
In this beautiful place called Ireland.
When Stormont bans our marchers
When the government stops us from protesting.
They've got a lot to learn
They need to understand our perspective on this.
Internment is no answer
Putting people in prison without trial is not a solution.
It's those mother's turn to burn!
The mothers of those who were killed deserve justice.
You Anglo pigs and Scotties
You people from England and Scotland who came here to colonize us.
Sent to colonize the north
You were sent here to take over the northern part of the country.
You wave your bloody Union Jacks
You proudly fly the flag of your country, even though it represents oppression to us.
And you know what it's worth!
But you know that it doesn't mean much to us.
How dare you hold on to ransom
Why do you think it's okay to hold us hostage like this?
A people proud and free
We are a proud and free people who deserve independence.
Keep Ireland for the Irish
We want to keep our land for our own people.
Put the English back to sea!
We want the English people to leave our country and go back to their own.
Yes it's always bloody Sunday
There is always violence and bloodshed, even on peaceful days like Sunday.
In the concentration camps
People are being oppressed and controlled like they are in concentration camps.
Keep Falls and roads free forever
We want the Falls and roads to be free from the control of the English forever.
From the bloody English hands
We don't want the English to control us anymore.
Repatriate to Britain
We want people who came from Britain to go back there.
All of you who call it home
Everyone who considers this place their home should leave.
Leave Ireland to the Irish
We want our land and our country back, free from outside control.
Not for London or for Rome!
We don't want our country to be controlled by anyone else, not even by powerful cities like London or Rome.
Sunday bloody Sunday
The day when violence and bloodshed happened.
Bloody Sunday's the day!
We will always remember the day of the shootings as Bloody Sunday.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN WINSTON LENNON, YOKO ONO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind