Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner Lyrics by Warren Zevon

Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner Lyrics

    Roland was a warrior from the Land of the Midnight Sun
    With a Thompson gun for hire, fighting to be done
    The deal was made in Denmark on a dark and stormy day
    So he set out for Biafra to join the bloody fray

    Through sixty-six and seven they fought the Congo war
    With their fingers on their triggers, knee-deep in gore
    For days and nights they battled the Bantu to their knees
    They killed to earn their living and to help out the Congolese

    Roland the Thompson gunner...

    His comrades fought beside him - Van Owen and the rest
    But of all the Thompson gunners, Roland was the best
    So the CIA decided they wanted Roland dead
    That son-of-a-bitch Van Owen blew off Roland's head

    Roland the headless Thompson gunner
    Norway's bravest son
    Time, time, time
    For another peaceful war
    But time stands still for Roland
    'Til he evens up the score
    They can still see his headless body stalking through the night
    In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun
    In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun

    Roland searched the continent for the man who'd done him in
    He found him in Mombassa in a barroom drinking gin
    Roland aimed his Thompson gun - he didn't say a word
    But he blew Van Owen's body from there to Johannesburg

    Roland the headless Thompson gunner...
    The eternal Thompson gunner
    still wandering through the night
    Now it's ten years later but he still keeps up the fight
    In Ireland, in Lebanon, in Palestine and Berkeley
    Patty Hearst heard the burst of Roland's Thompson gun and bought it

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