As the original poster, and a songwriter myself, I am well aware of the changes that take place over the months or years. That happens with me singing my own songs too, but the changes I am referring to are more than that.

Here are the lyrics I originally downloaded off the internet:- Green Fields Of France How do you do, young Willie McBride, Do you mind if I sit here, by your grave side And rest for a while in the warm summer sun, I've been walking all day and I'm nearly done I see by your grave stone your were only nineteen, When you joined the great fallen in 1915 I hope you died well and I hope you died clean, Or Willie McBride was it slow and obscene Chorus: Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly Did they sound the dead march as they lowered you down Did the band play the last post and Chorus Did the pipes play "The Flowers of the Forest." Did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind, In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined Although you died back in 1915, In some faithful heart are you forever nineteen Or are you a stranger without even a name, Enclosed there forever behind a glass pane In an old photograph torn, battered and stained, Fading to yellow in a brown leather frame Chorus Willie McBride I can't help wonder why, Did all those that died there, know why they died Did they believe when they answered the call, Did they really believe that the war would end war For the sorrow, the suffering, the glory the pain, The killing and dying were all done in vain For Willie McBride, it all happened again, And again and again, and again and again Chorus The sun now it shines on the green fields of France, There's warm summer's breeze makes the red poppies dance The trenches are vanished, long under the plow, There's no gas, there's no barbed wire, no guns firing now But here in this graveyard, it's still no man's land, A thousand white crosses, in mute witness stand To man's blind indifference to his fellow man, And a whole generation butchered and damned Chorus

And here are the lyrics I took from Eric Bogle's Youtube video. I'm not saying they are perfect, but if you compare both side by side, I think you'll be amazed at the amendments and sheer invention. No Man's Land How do you do, Private William McBride, Do you mind if I sit here, down by your grave side And I'll rest for a while in the warm summer sun, I've been walking all day Lord, and I'm nearly done I see by your grave stone your were only nineteen, When you joined the glorious fallen in 1916 Well I hope you died well and I hope you died clean, Or Willie McBride was it slow and obscene Chorus: Did they beat the drum slowly, did they sound the fife lowly Did the rifles fire o'er ye as they lowered you down Did the bugles sing the last post and Chorus Did the pipes play "The Flooers of the Forest." And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind, In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined And though you died back in 1916, To that loyal heart are you always nineteen Or are you a stranger without even a name, Forever enshrined behind some glass pane In an old photograph torn, and tattered and stained, And fading to yellow in a brown leather frame Chorus Well the sun's shining now on these green fields of France, The warm wind blows gently and the red poppies dance The trenches have vanished, long under the plow, No gas, and no barbed wire, no guns firing now But here in this graveyard, it's still no man's land, The countless white crosses, in mute witness stand To man's blind indifference to his fellow man, And a whole generation who were butchered and damned Chorus And I can't help but wonder now Willie McBride, Do all those who lie here, know why they died Did you really believe when they told you the cause, Did they really believe that the war would end war For the suffering, the sorrow, the glory the shame, The killing, the dying, it was all done in vain For Willie McBride, it all happened again, And again and again, and again and again Chorus