There were two blackbirds up a tree
Hauling up the Arras line (Hauling up the Arras line)
Says one of them, "What do I see?"
"Up the line (Up the line)"
"What's fallen down into the sand? (the sand)"
"What tries in vain to sit or stand? (sit or stand)"
"A chunk of mineral through its knee (through it's knee)"
"Poor Michael's up to Calvary (Poor Michael's up to Calvary)"
Says the other one, "Now I did hear,"
"Hauling up the Arras line (Hauling up the Arras line)"
"In Normandy that's voice ran clear"
"Up the line (Up the line)"
Says, "That will live in gay Paris (gay Paris)"
"Singing, swinging on a spree (on a spree)"
"And kiss them French maids"
"One, two, three (One, two, three)"
"Poor Michael's up to Calvary (Poor Michael's up to Calvary)"
That flew away with a multitude
Hauling up the Arras line (Hauling up the Arras line)
And joined a bold and cheery crew
Up the line (Up the line)
They slept in mud and wind and rain (wind and rain)
Cursed the cold and cried in pain (cried in pain)
Were cut down like these rowan trees (rowan trees)
Poor Michael's up to Calvary (Poor Michael's up to Calvary)
"My memory it does reveal,"
"Hauling up the Arras line (Hauling up the Arras line)"
"That's fathers marching through this field"
"Up the line (Up the line)"
"He's come to join his daddy dear (daddy dear)"
"To lie down and to disappear (disappear)"
"Well such a wonderful progeny (progeny)"
Poor Michael's up to Calvary (Poor Michael's up to Calvary)