Lyr Req: Don't Despise the Deserter (John Richards

Subject: Don't dispise the Deserter
From: Pete Fletcher
Date: 23 Feb 99 - 02:59 AM

Can anyone help with the lyrics of this song. The chorus goes "Don't dispise the deserter who ran from the war" Sung by damian Barber among others. I am also interested in the author.

Subject: RE: Don't despise the Deserter
From: Rick
Date: 23 Feb 99 - 12:46 PM

Simon Nicol (Fairport Convention) also does it, and I do but nowhere near as well. I might add!).

I probably have the writer somewhere - I'll post later if I find it.

Here I stand in a land, that isn't my own
Far from the country, I know as home
sent here by government, armed by the king
And I'm told I must kill men, in order to bring
Peace to a foreign land

Here he lies in a land, that isn't his own
far from the country, he called his home
sent here by governments, who might not agree,
and if someone must kill him, God why is it me
to bring peace to a foreign land


don't despise the deserter,
don't despise the deserter
don't despise the deserter,
who ran from the war
don't despise the deserter,
don't despise the deserter
Don't despise the deserter,
who ran from the war


I ran down to pull him, away from the wire
Rifles to the left of me started to fire
He was riddled with bullets, I was smothered in blood
And I wonder how murdering sombody could
Bring peace to a foreign land

Chorus

So I ran from the fighting, and I threw down my gun
I ran by the moon, and and I slept with the sun
Arrested by government, charged by the king,
To be shot, 'cause I can't kill in order to bring
Peace to a foreign land

Chorus

Subject: Lyr Add: DON'T DESPISE THE DESERTER (John Richards
From: Rick
Date: 24 Feb 99 - 03:25 AM

Pete,
Some corrections, plus the writer.

Written by John Richards, and having read my posting, I see some corrections are needed (Shown in CAPITALS). That's what you get when the caffeine runs out!

Here I stand in a land that isn't my own,
Far from the country I know as home,
Sent here by government, armed by a king,
And I'm told I must kill men in order to bring
Peace to a foreign land.

Here he lies in a land that isn't his own,
IN THE GREY OF A country he called his OWN,
Sent here by governments, who might not agree,
And if someone must kill him, God, why is it me?
To bring peace to a foreign land.

Don’t despise the deserter.
Don’t despise the deserter.
Don’t despise the deserter
Who ran from the war.
Don’t despise the deserter.
Don’t despise the deserter.
Don't despise the deserter
Who ran from the war.

I ran down to pull him away from the wire.
Rifles to the left of me started to fire.
He was riddled with bullets. I was smothered in blood,
And I DON'T SEE how murdering somebody could
Bring peace to a foreign land.

Chorus

So I ran from the fighting, and I threw down my gun.
I ran WITH the moon, and I slept BY the sun.
Arrested by government, charged by the king,
To be shot, 'cause I can't kill in order to bring
Peace to a foreign land.

Chorus

Subject: RE: Don't dispise the Deserter
From: Pete Fletcher (inactive)
Date: 24 Feb 99 - 05:41 PM

Thanks Rich.

All I have to do is learn it now !!

Cheers

Pete

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DESERTER (John Richards)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 11:02 AM

Here's how the song appears at John Richards' web site. There are several small but significant differences in wording (not to mention the title):


THE DESERTER

Here I stand in a land that isn't my own
In the green of the country that I know as home
I was sent here by government armed by the King
And I'm told I must kill men in order to bring
Peace to a foreign land

There he lies on a land that isn't his own
In the grey of the country that he knows as home
He was sent here by government, might not agree
And if someone must kill him God why is it me?
To bring peace to a foreign land

Chorus
Don't despise the deserter
Don't despise the deserter
Don't despise the deserter
Who ran from the war

So I bent down to drag him away from the wire
But the rifles to the left of me had started to fire
He was riddled with bullets smothered in blood
And I don't see how murdering somebody could
Bring peace to a foreign land

So I ran from the fighting threw down my gun
And I ran by the moon and slept by the sun
Now arrested by government charged by the King
To be shot 'cos I can't kill in order to bring
Peace to a foreign land

© John Richards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Despise the Deserter (John Richards
From: GUEST,Miranda
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 04:47 AM

I saw him perform it once; accompanied by his daughter. It silenced the room.