Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier

Subject: Req: One Tin Soldier
From:
Date: 06 Nov 96 - 08:20 PM

Am trying to find the lyrics to "One Tin Soldier", or "Theme From Billy Jack". I would like to teach this one to my kids.

Subject: Lyr Add: ONE TIN SOLDIER (D Potter/B Lambert)
From: Bill
Date: 07 Nov 96 - 01:10 AM

This is by Dennis Potter and Brian Lambert.

Listen, children, to a story that was written long ago
'Bout a kingdom on the mountain and the valley folk below.
On the mountain was a treasure buried deep beneath a stone,
And the valley people swore they'd have it for their very own.

CHORUS: 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 blowin' come the judgment 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 the mountain, all the riches buried there."

Now the valley rose in anger, "Mount your horses, draw your swords,"
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. CHORUS TWICE

Subject: RE: Req: One Tin Soldier
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 07 Nov 96 - 05:47 PM

thanx much

Subject: One Tin Soldier; Lyrics needed.
From:
Date: 21 Apr 97 - 01:01 PM

Hi: I really would appreciate the lyrics for "One Tin Soldier". Thank you

Subject: RE: One Tin Soldier; Lyrics needed.
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 21 Apr 97 - 01:34 PM

You'll find it at the OLGA sites, listed under Coven (the band that performed it for "Billy Jack"). It's entered as a ".crd" or chord file and can be downloaded from any of the OLGA mirror sites, then opened in your favorite word processor.

Good luck.

Subject: RE: One Tin Soldier; Lyrics needed.
From: rich r
Date: 21 Apr 97 - 06:43 PM

You can also get it by setting your thread number at the top to 90, and going back back in time to March 16 and clicking on the "buffalo girls & one tin soldier" thread. Since you are already here, that might be the easier option.

rich r

Subject: One Tin Soldier?
From: sarahT
Date: 27 Apr 97 - 04:10 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics to the old song "one tin soldier rides away. thanks. sarah

Subject: RE: Req: One Tin Soldier
From: GUEST,Aly
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 10:25 AM

i hate this song it sucks!!!

Subject: RE: Req: One Tin Soldier
From: GUEST,tsk tsk
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 12:50 PM

Grow up, Aly.

If you have the guts, that is

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: ONE TIN SOLDIER
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 07:56 PM

I never have decided whether I like this song or not. I think maybe it's a bit too "preachy" for my liking. Teh post below was mixed in with information on another song. I thought it might fit better here.
-Joe Offer-

---

Thread #1037   Message #3166
Posted By: rich r
16-Mar-97 - 09:50 PM
Thread Name: buffalo girls & one tin soldier please
Subject: Lyr Add: BUFFALO GALS and ONE TIN SOLDIER


ONE TIN SOLDIER
words & music by D. Lambert & B. Potter, (c) 1969 Cents and Pence Musique Co.

1. (D) Listen children (A) to a story (Bm) that was written long ago,
(G) 'bout a kingdom (D) on a mountain (Em7) and the valley folk below.
(D) On the mountain (A) was a treasure (Bm) buried deep beneath a stone
(G) And the valley (D) people swore they'd (Em7) have it for their very (D) own. (GD)

CHORUS: (D) Go ahead and hate your (F#m) neighbor, (G) go ahead and cheat a (D) friend.
Do it in the name of (F#m) heaven, (G) justify it in the (D) end.
There won't be any trumpets (F#m) blowin' (G) come the judgment (D) day
On the bloody morning (G) after, one tin (A) soldier rides (D) away (GDGD)

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

3. 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. CHORUS

Subject: RE: Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Gypsy
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 10:56 PM

I dunno. Seems particularly applicable right now, just as it was the first time i heard it.........

Subject: RE: Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Little Hawk
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 11:01 PM

It has its good and bad points. Billy Jack was a very preachy, self-righteous movie, and the song can sound that way too...but it does contain a worthy message, nonetheless.

Subject: RE: Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 11:10 PM

I liked the way the bluegrass group, Bottle Hill, played the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: GUEST,The first time I had ever heard this song wa
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 01:48 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Peace
Date: 30 Apr 05 - 01:03 AM

. . . in the movie, "Billy Jack".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Apr 05 - 01:22 AM

I heard this song on the radio, I never saw the movie. I doubt I'd care for the movie, for a lot of present-day hind-sight reasons. But the song, when I heard it as a teenager, had true meaning. The Vietnam war was still going strong, and I had friends who had been drafted. I still count myself incredibly lucky that those friends came home alive. A few college friends (G.I. Bill) were rather disturbed by their experiences in 'Nam, and it seemed the best thing I could do at the time was to buy them a cup of coffee (or a beer) and listen to their stories. That song was the height of idealism, but it was important.

SRS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: GUEST,eze
Date: 02 Oct 06 - 03:15 PM

Who is the "One Tin Soldier"? The song ostensibly has Christian roots, and some say it's Jesus, who preached peace and was crucified. However, Jesus didn't ride away from the conflict, but rather rose from the dead to transcend this world. George W. Bush, fighting for democracy the world over, is also attributed to this one tin soldier by Gary Pearlman of the Palm Beach Springs newspaper. This could be a more modern interpretation, however flawed from an American perspective.

I think we need to look at the descriptive words individually. "One" means single, alone. "Tin" tends to mean hollow or without heart, as in the Wizard of Oz. "Soldier" signifies someone who fights in a war. Put together, we have a hollow person emerging alone from a bloody conflict.

So go ahead, hate your neighbor... cheat a friend. Make no excuses or have your reasons, but you'll still emerge an empty soul in the end.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Cruiser
Date: 02 Oct 06 - 04:51 PM

Below is ONE interpretation of the song (one of my favorite songs).

Let's hear more interpretations on the meaning of the term "Tin Soldier". Does it have a good or bad connotation in your opinion?

There are several links below and one is YouTube where you can view a neat cartoon/animated 1970s music video complete with the original recording of "One Tin Soldier" sung by the group Coven.

YouTube Animated Music Video "One Tin Soldier" by Coven



The following is from:

Blog Discussion of the Song's Meaning


{Quote}
One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack)
[10 Sep 2006, 02:30:19 PM]
This song is a '60s era anti-war song written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter. "One Tin Soldier" tells the abstract story of a hidden treasure and two feuding people (the Mountain People and the Valley People) to describe how inhumane some people can be when greed is involved.

The song was written during the anti-war movement of the late 60's. Also going on at that time was the Six Day War of 1967 in Israel.

The "Kingdom on a mountain" is none other than The Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It sits on Mt. Moriah. The people of the valley are the Muslim or Palestinian people who live in the Kidron Valley adjacent to Mt. Moriah.

The Stone with the treasure underneath it is the stone that the Muslims claim Mohammed ascended and the Jews claim was the base in The Holy of Holies. The treasure underneath "the stone" which is up to 120ft.under the Temple mount is where the supposed hidden treasure of the Jewish treasury was. The Templars of the early 1000 a.d. were said to have found this treasure.

There is also another definition of the term "treasure" as used in the song. It is said that buried beneath the temple is the Ark of the Covenant. This is a wooden box, covered in the purest gold, containing the Ten Commandments. These are the rules that God gave us to allow a peaceful world. Thus the treasure saying, "Peace on Earth"

The song closely discusses details of "The Crusades". The people of the Valley who did not want to share were none other than the leader of the Muslims, Saladin the Turkish leader who had restricted visitation of other religions to Jerusalem which in turn initiated the crusades.

Saladin (the Muslims) did regain the Temple Mount. So, the song's message is that we fight wars and shed blood for greed in the name of our God's but God just wants "Peace on Earth" as was written on the stone when it was turned over.

The One Tin Soldier riding away just says that masses die in war on both sides and only one or a few are left. It sarcastically says go ahead and do evil but you will not escape your deeds on Judgment Day.

While the specific instances cited above probably inspired much of the content, but the song also is very broad. It gives the sensation that it applies to any similar situation. It also implies that when we see only one goal as the true value, we lose what is actually valuable. A sentiment which applies everywhere.

This release, titled as "One Tin Soldier: The Legend of Billy Jack", reached number 40 on Billboard's Hot 100 in fall 1971, while a slightly different version (titled "One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack)") charted in summer 1973. Coven never recorded another significant hit, becoming a so-called one hit wonder.
{End Quote}

_____________________________________________________________________

Cruiser

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: GUEST,Unknown
Date: 27 Nov 06 - 09:33 PM

Hey guys i am doing a project on this song and i was wondering wat the message that the writer is trying to convey is ?
soon would be nice:D thanks a lot:D

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 05:59 AM

Don't bother to read the previous post then eh?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 07:53 AM

A complete and total piece of crap. As Hawk said, preachy. This was one of those songs that made the sixties look idealistic and shallow at the very best and took the serious issues of the war and civil rights to nadirs of the ridiculous.........as did "Billy Jack."

You can play the symbolism/history game to your heart's content but in the end the bag is empty here. Great songs and stories did come out of "The Movement"......but this sure as hell wasn't one of them.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Peace
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 08:29 PM

I don't agree, Spaw. But be that as it may, the movie provided a great scene in which Tom Laughlin was facing off against lots of bad guys. Looking at the baddest bad guy he said (words to the effect), "I am going to put my foot right here (pointing to the guy's face/neck) and ya know, there's not one damned thing you can do about it." Then he did it. I have always loved that scene. The rest of the movie--well, it was a movie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: GUEST,JimP
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 08:49 PM

A good tune, but I have to agree with those who find it much too preachy. I find that, unfortunately, many anti-war songs share this defect; when I hear someone singing (usually with great bathos) Cranes Over Hiroshima, or And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda, I just cringe. On the other hand, Brave Nelson ("May the lord put an end / To the cruel old wars ...") never fails to reduce me to tears.

Subject: Chords Add: ONE TIN SOLDIER
From: khandu
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 08:54 PM

Well, yeah, I sadly must agree with Mr. Spaw because he is Right!

However, I don't agree completely with the chords which Joe Offer (not that Joe is an Igmo...he most certainly isn't!) posted. There seem to be a couple missing; hence:



1. (D) Listen children (A) to a story (Bm) that was written (Gbm)long ago,
(G) 'bout a kingdom (D) on a mountain (Em7) and the valley (A)folk below.
(D) On the mountain (A) was a treasure (Bm) buried deep be(Gbm)neath a stone
(G) And the valley (D) people swore they'd (Em7) have it for their(A) very (D) own. (GD)

CHORUS: (D) Go ahead and hate your (F#m) neighbor, (G) go ahead and cheat a (D) friend.
Do it in the name of (F#m) heaven, (G) justify it in the (D) end.
There won't be any trumpets (F#m) blowin' (G) come the judgment (D) day
On the bloody morning (G) after (Bm) (Em), one tin (A) soldier rides (D) away (GDGD)

k

---

It's OK. Joe don't know chords from Shinola. He just copies them and cites the sources. -Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 10:56 PM

Okay Peace.......Ya' kinda' got me here. THe movie really bites but it's one of those I will watch and not tell anyone, mainly for that scene and a few others. So just to completely crap on ANY reputation I might have for having even a soupcon of good taste, I will also admit to being a Steven Segal junkie. The guy can't act for toffee but ya' have to love when he beats the crap outta' 439 bad guys and never breaks a sweat.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Peace
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 11:41 AM

I have never watched a Steven Seagal movie, but the one that takes place on the ship was great.

Subject: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: GUEST,aeondesires
Date: 12 Feb 07 - 08:19 PM

Cool

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Jim Lad
Date: 13 Feb 07 - 02:06 AM

Weren't the Billy Jack movies made by a bunch of amateurs? Some young folks club or something?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: GUEST,Rick
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 06:49 PM

It should be noted that the song wasn't originally recorded for the film. The band Coven (featuring Oz Osbourne - no relation to Ozzy) covered the tune for the movie. Any attempt to delve meaning out of the song by juxtaposing it with the film is most likely futile.

In the bible, judgement day is heralded by a shout and a blast of trumpet. The song lyrics say, "There won't be any trumpets blowin' come the judgment day / On the bloody morning after one tin soldier rides away."

There will be no judgement day. The murderous deeds done in the name of heaven have been done in the name of that which does not exist. There can be no justification come the end because that kind of end will never come. There will be no trumpets. There will be no judgement day. In fact, there is a next day: On the bloody morning after...

The one tin soldier is no longer really human; he is tin; he is, like the tin man, heartless and hollow; he is, like a tin ear, deafened to reality.

Huh, Oz Osbourne sang of this "tin soldier," and Ozzy Osbourne sang of an "iron man." Call the conspiracy patrol!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Cruiser
Date: 04 Mar 07 - 03:59 PM

Thanks Foolestroupe:

"Don't bother to read the previous post then eh?"

It is nice to know that after looking a lot for and posting that information that someone actually reads it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: JeremyC
Date: 11 Jun 07 - 02:40 PM

I like the song, although it's mainly through familiarity, because I've known it since I was little. It's only recently that I started playing it again, and I do it C-G-Am-Am-F-C-F-G etc. I don't think I've ever heard anyone else sing it, so I'm going to check that youtube link out with some interest when I get home (youtube is blocked at work to prevent me from slacking off further).

I'd probably agree that it's not a "good" song, but "good" doesn't enter into the mix when you grew up with it. There are probably a lot of other suspect songs I like simply because I've heard them since preschool.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Peace
Date: 11 Jun 07 - 02:49 PM

Good always enters into it. IMO, good is the stuff I like. That's what matters. Else, it all becomes musical opinions supported by other musical opinions.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: JeremyC
Date: 11 Jun 07 - 04:32 PM

I can agree with you there, Peace. I'm just using different terms, in this case. To me, if a song is "good," it means I can justify its quality in an argument (which would include what I think is a reasonable definition of "good" and elements of the song that fit that definition), but if I like something, it's just a matter of taste. I think both are perfectly valid, because there are plenty of songs I don't think are high-quality but like, and there are some excellent songs that aren't my thing.

Taste is weird, anyway, so I guess it's futile to justify it, but I try to anyway. I mean, I dislike "If I were a Carpenter" (mainly because of its apparent sexism, but it's also a little sappy for me, which I suppose is odd, considering other songs I do like) but I like Ramblin' Jack's arrangement so much that I learned to play it and now do so regularly.

To me, "One Tin Soldier" is preachy and kind of lame, but it's fun to play and it has a nice melody, plus I've known it for as long as I can remember. So I like it, even though I can't really defend it. I guess I shouldn't need to.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Peace
Date: 11 Jun 07 - 04:34 PM

I liked the song then and I like it now. Love to hear you sing it sometime.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: John Hardly
Date: 11 Jun 07 - 04:38 PM

An earworm on the order of "Seasons In The Sun". An earworm of the worst order.

Yee gads,

send in the clowns.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: JeremyC
Date: 11 Jun 07 - 04:41 PM

Thanks, Peace. You've got to be one of the nicest guys on this forum. There are a few people here in Cincinnati I think you'd get right on with. Anyway, maybe I'll record and post the song somewhere.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Peace
Date: 11 Jun 07 - 04:52 PM

THAT would be wonderful. Think youtube, buddy. (BTW, the majority of folks here are nicer than me, but thank you.)

I have a question for you--and it's a strange one. Did the people who live in Cincinnati watch that TV show about WKRP and do folks there know who Les Nessman and Johnny Fever are? (I've wanted to ask a Cincinnatian/Cincinnati-ite/Cincinnationian/ citizen of Cincinnati that for years, and now's my chance!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: JeremyC
Date: 11 Jun 07 - 05:33 PM

I'm on youtube, but the majority of the stuff I have up there is pretty half-assed. I'll post that song the next time I get around to making a batch of videos.

Being a transplant, I can't really answer your question directly, but I'll check with some of my friends who are Cinci natives and find out for you. :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: John Hardly
Date: 11 Jun 07 - 05:37 PM

Didn't tin soldiers "march"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: John Hardly
Date: 12 Jun 07 - 09:43 AM

Maybe it was supposed to be on "thin" soldier. ...though a soldier still wouldn't ride away. He'd still march away.

Maybe it was about "one thin folgers". I hear the army is notorius for lousy coffee. But then, that still doesn't explain the "rides away" part. Maybe it's "writes away" -- like maybe he writes letters home talking about hating your neighbors and stuff.

...but then, he prolly wouldn't say to "go ahead and hate your neighbors". At least I wouldn't think so. Maybe all the hate came from the jitters he was getting from the coffee. Prolly not, though. After all, the coffee was thin.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Peace
Date: 12 Jun 07 - 09:47 AM

Thank you, Jeremy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Big Mick
Date: 12 Jun 07 - 09:49 AM

The song isn't worth discussing, but one thing is. Peace certainly is one of the nicest folks here, and contributes mightily to the place.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jun 07 - 11:13 AM

John, you've been talking to yourself again. :) I agree about the earworm quality of that one. I heard a song two weekends ago that it took all week to get out of my head (I'm sorry I'm mentioning it here, because it'll come racing back.)

Michael Jackson singing "Ben." Arrggghhh!

SRS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: JeremyC
Date: 12 Jun 07 - 11:33 AM

I like "Ben," but only when you view it as being about THE Ben (the evil rat).

"Seasons in the Sun" is a crime against one of my favorite songs, however, so I can fully support John there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Little Hawk
Date: 12 Jun 07 - 11:58 AM

Go ahead and hate your neighbor...
Go ahead and kick your dog...
Do it in the name of freedom...
It's as quick as falling off a log...
There won't be any kazoos blowing...
Come the judgement day...
On the bloody morning after--er-er---er-er---er-er
Condoleeza rides away! (Owoooo!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: John Hardly
Date: 12 Jun 07 - 12:45 PM

Not even tin kazoos?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: JeremyC
Date: 17 Jun 07 - 09:22 PM

Peace: Here you go.

Not that it's a particularly good performance.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Peace
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 11:00 PM

Man, it took me weeks to locate this thread again. Good performance, Jeremy. I had some visions of ol' Billy Jack doin' a number on the bad guys, of more innocent times. I thought the performance was fine, buddy. We'd all of us like to have lots of takes and never make a mistake in phrasing, fingering or vocalization. If you ever meet anyone like that, have that person bronzed. (OK, so you're a bit camera shy. Who ain't.) I enjoyed the presentation and thank you very much for sharing it. And please accept my apology for taking so long to get back here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 12:38 AM

Like I said earlier, at the time it came out it spoke to a lot of people. When I listen to it now the message is oversimplified, but for a lot of folks opposed to the war, that was enough. Nice performance, JeremyC. What is in the rest of your repertoire?

SRS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One Tin Soldier
From: JeremyC
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 04:22 PM

Thanks, Peace and SRS. I appreciate it.

SRS, my repertoire is kind of eclectic, so it's hard to describe. My youtube channel has a lot of indifferent recordings (and I went back and removed the worst ones a while back, so it's a little better quality overall now). It's a decent sampling of what I've been playing over the past year or so. I still think some of the things I've posted are cringeworthy, but I think it's like that for everyone.