John Riley lyrics

Artist  : Tim O`brien 
Song : John Riley



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 John Riley came form Galway town in the years of
the Irish hunger

And he sailed away to America when the country
was much younger

The place was strange and work was scarce and all
he knew was farming

So he followed his other Irish friends to a job
in the US Army



Adventure calls and some men run, and this is
their sad story

Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on
glory



They marched down Texas way to the banks of the
Rio Grande

They built a fort on the banks above to taunt old
Santa Anna

They were treated bad, paid worse, and then the
fighting started

The more they fought the less they thought of the
damned old US Army



Adventure calls and some men run, and this is
their sad story

Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on
glory



When the church bells rang on Sunday morn it set
his soul a shiver

He saw the Senoritas washing their hair on the
far side of the river

John Riley and two hundred more Irish
mercenaries

Cast their lot, right or not, south of the Rio
Grande



Adventure calls and some men run, and this is
their sad story

Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on
glory



They fought bravely under the flag of the San
Patricios

Till the Yankees soldiers beat them down at the
battle of Churubusco

Then fifteen men were whipped like mules

And on the cheeks were hot iron branded

Made to dig the graves of fifty more, who a
hanging fate had handed



Adventure calls and some men run, and this is
their sad story

Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on
glory



John Riley stands and drinks alone at a bar in
Vera Cruz

He wonders if it matters much if you win or if
you lose

I'm a man who can't go home , a wanderer, says
he

A victim of some wanderlust and divided
loyalty



Adventure calls and some men run, and this is
their sad story

Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on
glory