Lyrics The Cumberland Brigade - Beau

My eyes are ink-stained circles peering through blue darkness
Staring at the sun, and seeing only rain
Staring down the valley with its awesome starkness
Wondering, now I must leave, will I return again
And the Cumberland Brigade, they are marching to the sea
Yes, the Cumberland Brigade are behind, and beside
And are marching out in front of me

Wharfeside cranes lie down the river, strong and sober
Calling in the distance through the early morning mist
Lanterns flashing from their jibs say "Hand 'em over!"
Painting sombre pictures Lowry never could resist
And the Cumberland Brigade, they are marching to the sea
Yes, the Cumberland Brigade are behind, and beside
And are marching out in front of me

The ship is big and rusty and it smells of cattle
Groaning in the harbour as they herd us all aboard
In the hold, we're sick, but as we ride to battle
We sing songs of England bound to temper every sword
And the Cumberland Brigade, they are marching to the sea
Yes, the Cumberland Brigade are behind, and beside
And are marching out in front of me

I've hated every Frenchman since that day in Deauville
When they called for money for the water we did drink
A Frenchman died upon the bayonet in his flour mill
Then we drank his water and we didn't even blink
And the Cumberland Brigade, they are marching from the sea
Yes, the Cumberland Brigade are behind, and beside
And are marching out in front of me

The years came and disappeared with mud and memories
Fading in the distance as the Christmases rolled by
Fighting for a hundred yards of dirt; they tell me
There are many reasons why my Cumbrians must die
And the Cumberland Brigade, they are marching from the sea
Yes, the Cumberland Brigade are behind, and beside
And are marching out in front of me

They brought me back to England when the war was over
And they stood me on the dockside in my tattered uniform
They put me to a man who sat me on a sofa
And asked me to explain the ink-stained circle I had drawn
And the Cumberland Brigade, they are marching to the sea
Yes, the Cumberland Brigade are behind, and beside
And are marching out in front of me

Oh, the Cumberland Brigade, they are marching to the sea
Yes, the Cumberland Brigade are behind, and beside
And are marching out in front of me

Oh, the Cumberland Brigade, they are marching to the sea
Yes, the Cumberland Brigade are behind, and beside
And are marching out in front of me