Текст песни Christmas in the Trenches - The Military Tattoo

My name is Francis Tolliver, I come from Liverpool
Two years ago the war was waitin' for me after school
To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany, to here
I fought for king and country I loved dear
It was Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung
The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung
Our families back in England were toasting us that day
Their brave and glorious lads so far away
I was lyin' with my messmate on the cold and rocky ground
When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound
Says I, "Now listen up me boys", each soldier strained to hear
As one young German voice sang out so clear
"He's singing bloody well you know", my partner says to me
Soon one by one each German voice joined in in harmony
The cannons rested silent, the gas cloud rolled no more
As Christmas brought us respite from the war
As soon as they were finished, a reverent pause was spent
"God rest ye merry gentlemen", struck up some lads from Kent
Oh the next they sang was "Stille Nacht", "Tis Silent Night" says I
And in two tongues one song filled up that sky
"There's someone coming towards us", the frontline sentry cried
All sights were fixed on one lone figure trudging from their side
His truce flag like a Christmas star shone on the plain so bright
As he bravely strode unarmed into the night
Then one by one on either side walked into no-man's land
With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand
We shared some secret brandy and wished each other well
And in a flare lit soccer game we gave 'em hell
We traded chocolate cigarettes for photographs from home
These sons and fathers far away from families of their own
Young Sanders played his squeezebox, Lee had a violin
This curious and unlikely band of men
Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more
With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night
Whose family have I fixed within my sights?
It was Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung
For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war
Had been crumbled and were gone forever more
Oh my name is Francis Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell
Each Christmas come since World War One, I've learned its lessons well
That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame
And on each end of the rifle we're the same