marillion  -  forgotten  sons

armalite,  street  lights,  night  sights

  searching  the  roofs  for  a  sniper,  a  viper,  a  fighter

  death  in  the  shadows  he'll  maim  you,  he'll  wound  you,  he'll  kill  you

  for  a  long  forgotten  cause,  on  not  so  foreign  shores

  boys  baptized  in  war,  boys  baptized  in  war

  

morphine,  chill  scream,  bad  dream

  serving  as  numbers  on  dog  tags,  flak  rags,  sand  bags

  your  girl  has  married  your  best  friend,  loves  end,  poison  pen

  your  flesh  will  always  creep,  tossing  turning  sleep

  the  wounds  that  burn  so  deep,  burn  so  deep

  

your  mother  sits  on  the  edge  of  the  world

  when  the  cameras  start  to  roll,

  panoramic  viewpoint  resurrect  the  killing  fold

  your  father  drains  another  beer,  he's  one  of  the  few  that  cares

  crawling  behind  a  saracen's  hull  from  the  safety  of  his  living  room  chair

  

forgotten  sons,  forgotten  sons,  forgotten  sons

  

and  so  as  i  patrol  in  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  the  tricolor

  i  must  fear  evil,  for  i  am  but  mortal  and  mortals  can  only  die

  asking  questions,  pleading  answers

  from  the  nameless  faceless  watchers

  that  parade  the  carpeted  corridors  of  whitehall

  

who  orders  desecration,  mutilation

  verbal  masturbation  in  the  guarded  bureaucratic  wombs

  minister,  minister  care  for  your  children

  order  them  not  into  damnation

  to  eliminate  those  who  would  trespass  against  you

  for  whose  is  the  kingdom,  the  power,  the  glory  for  ever  and  ever

  

amen,  amen,  amen,  amen,  amen

  

halt  who  goes  there

  death

  approach  friend

  

you're  just  another  coffin,  on  its  way  down  the  emerald  isle

  when  your  children's  stony  glances  mourn

  your  death  in  a  terrorist's  smile

  the  bomber's  arm  placing  fiery  gifts  on  the  supermarket  shelves

  alley  sings  with  shrapnel  detonate  a  temporary  hell

  

forgotten  sons,  forgotten  sons

  

from  the  dole  queue  to  the  regiment  a  profession  in  a  flash

  but  remember,  monday  signings  went  from  door  to  door  you  dash

  on  the  news  a  nation  mourns  you  unknown  soldier  count  the  cost

  for  a  second  you'll  be  famous  but  labeled  posthumous

  

forgotten  son,  forgotten  son,  forgotten  son,  forgotten  son

  they're  still  forgotten,  they're  still,  still  forgotten

  peace  on  earth  and  mercy  mild,  mother  brown  has  lost  her  child

  just  another  forgotten  son