THE EBRE 1938   
by Berni Armstrong    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhbVFdFYZro

(Am) He choked back the dust rising from the trench
(Dm) Mixed with blood, a particular stench
(G) Mortars fell all along the line
He (Am) gripped his ancient Russian carbine
As if it could ward off that fate he feared
His other (Dm) hand touched his three day beard
(G) After the shells there would be an air raid
Thought: (F) "What I wouldn't give for a (E) new razor (Am) blade"

It's (F) shocking what you get (C) used to
When you're (G) fighting in a (Am) war
As(F)tounding what you (C) miss when
In the (G) midst of the cannons' roar
You'd (F) think you'd wish for (C) machine guns
An anti-(G)tank gun or a gren(Am)ade
But (G) what I miss most in this (F) conflict
Is a (G) brand new razor (Am) blade

(Am) It's two months now I've been here at the front
So (Dm) many new things I've had to confront
(G) Almost every day you have a close call
You (Am) watch in horror as your comrades fall
You know any minute that it could be you
You (Dm) hope you take with you a Fascist or two
You (G) suffer privations but you swear a tirade
When (F) trying to shave with a (E) rusty old (Am) blade

CHORUS

BRIDGE
(Bb) Under the cover of (Am) darkness
Their (Bb) trenches they re(Am)pair
With (Bb) bare hands they work re(Am)gardless
(G) Dust choking the air
(Bb) Hoping these shallow (Am) dugouts
Their (Bb) lives tomorrow will (Am) save
But (Bb) knowing as they drop (Am) off to sleep They (G) might have just dug their (Am) graves

(Am) In these cold nights there's less chance you'll be shot
(Dm) But by midday it is blazing hot
You (G) slip into a dream when there's a lull in the fight
Till some (Am) Nazi airman has you in his bombsight
With barely a warning it all starts once more
You're (Dm) in the midst of the hell that's war
Then you (G) aim to kill as you know you must
Your (F) only comfort? (E) that your cause is (Am) just!

CHORUS