One Tin Soldier

Ana · Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 3:04 pm Post subject: One Tin Soldier

Listen, children, to a story
That was written long ago,
'Bout a kingdom on a mountain
And the valley-folk below.

On the mountain was a treasure
Buried deep beneath the stone,
And the valley-people swore
They'd have it for their very own.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

So the people of the valley
Sent a message up the hill,
Asking for the buried treasure,
Tons of gold for which they'd kill.

Came an answer from the kingdom,
"With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain,
All the riches buried there."

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

Now the valley cried with anger,
"Mount your horses! Draw your sword!"
And they killed the mountain-people,
So they won their just reward.

Now they stood beside the treasure,
On the mountain, dark and red.
Turned the stone and looked beneath it...
"Peace on Earth" was all it said.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

We used to sing this one in school before Remembrance Day (Veterans' Day in the U.S.). Is this a Christian song, or a message to Christians, or a commentary?

Pondering · Lion King Joined: 15 Sep 2005 Posts: 1264

I thinks it's more commentary than a Christian song...It was the theme song to Billy Jack, if I remember correctly. I also remember it being sung in my youth church as there is obviously a moral (and Christianish) message here too...

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 6661 Location: USA

Pondering is correct; it is the theme song for Billy Jack. It is a statement song, out of the protest genre of the late sixties - early seventies.

Ana · Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 9:25 am Post subject:

Ahh, thanks guys! I didn't know that, and in fact hadn't heard of Billy Jack, but I read up on it and it looks like an interesting movie. I always wondered about this song, since we sang it at the Catholic school I mentioned previously, but never in the public school I went to afterward.

maryccc · Sea Monkey Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 12

I remember the movie and the song. It use to be one of my favorites. I think a group called Coven recorded it. It showed how peoples greed can get and what they thought they wanted wasn't what they got. And how their greed hurt people.