Subject: RE: ADD: The Boonie Rat Song (Viet Nam War)-chords?
From:
cnd
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 10:27 AM
Well, since Joe's link died, here's a new link: Youtube.
Someone on the Youtube video claimed "written by: Spec. Ronald Jordan, Co. A, 1st Bn. 327th Inf., 101st Abn. Div., 1969 while in the field."
Another website attributes it to "In the spring of 1970 the men of the second battalion of the 502nd brigade of the 101st Airborne Division created one of the most powerful songs of the war, "The Boonie Rat Song," and appointed a keeper of the company song (Del Vecchio 1983: i, 100-101; Rosenberg 1988) [SOURCE]
Also, there's a very cool video with the chords going along with it, but I'll put it here with lyrics for anyone who wants to see it. You can see the video here
Dm
I landed in this country,
C
One year of life to give,
Bb
My only friend a weapon,
C
My only prayer to live.
Dm
I walked awayfrom freedom,
C
And the life that I had known,
Bb
I passed the weary faces
F#m A7
Of the others go-ing home.
C Bb Dm C
Boonie Rats, Boonie Rats,
D Dm
Scared but not alone,
Bb F#m
Three hundred days more or less
Dm
Then I'm going home.
The first few days were hectic,
C
As they psyched my mind for war,
Bb
I often got the feeling
C
They're trying to tie the score.
Gm Dm
The first day with my unit
C
We climbed a two click hill,
Bb
To find an enemy soldier,
Dm A7
To capture, wound, or kill.
Bb C
Boonie Rats, Boonie Rats,
F Dm
Scared but not alone,
Bb F#m
Two hundred days more or less
Dm
Then I'm going home.
Bb Dm
The air was hot and humid,
C
The ground was hard and dry,
Bb
Ten times I cursed my rucksack
C
And I wished that I could die.
Gm F#m Dm
I learned to look for danger
C
In the trees and on the ground,
Bb
I learned to shake with terror,
F#m A7
When I hear an AK round.
F Bb C
Boonie Rats, Boonie Rats,
F Dm
Scared but not alone,
Bb F
One hundred days more or less
Dm
Then I'm going home.
'SKYHAWKS' is our motto,
C
'AIRBORNE' is our cry,
Bb
Freedom is our mission,
C
For this we do or die.
Dm
Boonie Rats a legend
C
For now and times to come,
Bb
Wherever there are soldiers
A7 Dm A7
They'll talk of what we've done.
Gm Bb C
Boonie Rats, Boonie Rats,
F Dm
Scared but not alone,
Bb F#m
50 days more or less,
A7 Dm
Then I'm going home.
They say there'll always be a war,
C
I hope the're very wrong,
Bb
To the Boonie Rats of Viet Nam
F#m A7
I dedicate this song.
F Bb C
Boonie Rats, Boonie Rats,
F Dm
Scared but not alone,
Bb Gm C
Today I see my Freedom Bird,
A7 F Dm
Today, I'm going home.
|
sj
