There's a stranger on the road tonight
On the way to soldiers town
The stranger with his coat pulled tight
His collar buttoned down
A stranger every sinner knows
A seasoned man of war
Marching thru the fires of hell
Scarred by the cannons roar.
You know he's bound for soldiertown
It's written on the moon
They're pulling all the shutters down
Seem fearful of his tune
He'll sing a song of sixpence
Breaks his fist upon a door
They know the score in soldiertown
He's done it here before.
There is no truth, no choice, no compromise
Give up one of your kin
To save the other children,
To save your bone and skin
Tonight's the night you must decide
Which son will stay or go
The devil rides in soldiertown,
His boots cut through the snow.
Shadows fall on windows
Praying that he'll pass
Listening for the death knell
Of his breath upon the glass
You all must lose a finger
If you wish to save the hand
A stranger chants imagine that
The townsfolk understand
Now every son and daughter
Have been taken in the night
Condemned them said a slaughter
If they dedicate to fight
It's midnight out in Soldierstown
There's a knock upon the door
The youngest pushed out in the snow
To save the other four
You can hear the screams in Belfast town
Or so the story goes
He leaves his demon footprints
In the deepest of the snow
There's nothing here in Soldierstown
Except misery and pain
Cross of more in Soldierstown
... accrued again.
(Guitar solo)
The stranger all misunderstood
He's come to save the young
To steal them from their parties
And turned their faces to the sun
To a place where love is taught
And peace had overflowed
The stranger on the road.
You fight till one of us dies
He screams into his face
And now you know the notions
Said the stranger touched by grace
First please let me show you
Where the youngest can be played
And wiser by the day
They send you off to the wars of Soldierstown
Taken back, the stranger cried
His patience wearing down
A stranger came to Soldierstown
When 20 years had passed
Looking for his father
Breathing slowly on the glass.
There is no truth, no choice, no compromise
Give up one of your kin
To save the other children,
To save your bone and skin
Tonight's the night you must decide
Which son will stay or go
The devil rides in soldiertown,
His boots cut through the snow.
You can hear the screams in Belfast town
Or so the story goes
He leaves his demon footprints
In the deepest of the snow
There's nothing here in Soldierstown
Except misery and pain
The Devil rides in soldiertown
He's smiling once again.