Pete Seeger – King Henry (Guitar)

     G                                   Am
King Henry marched forth, a sword in his hand,

G                                   Dm
Two thousand horsemen all at his command;

     G             Am         G
In a fortnight the rivers ran red through the land,

    Dm           Am          G
The year fifteen hundred and twenty.

                                  Am
The year it is now nineteen sixty-five,

     G                        Dm
It's easier far to stay half-alive.

     G               Am             G
Just keep your mouth shut while the planes zoom and dive,

    Dm             Am       G
Ten thousand miles over the ocean.

                           Am
Simon was drafted in sixty-three,

G                            Dm
In sixty-four, sent over the sea.

G               Am        G
Last month this letter he sent to me,

   Dm               Am            G
He said, "You won't like what I'm sayin'."

                                             Am
He said, "We've no friends here, no hardly a one,

      G                                    Dm
We've got a few generals who just want our guns.

          G              Am            G
But it'll take more than that if we're ever to win;

     Dm            Am          G
Why, we'll have to flatten the country."

                                                 Am
"It's my own troops I have to watch out for," he said,

   G                                  Dm
"I sleep with a pistol right under my head;"

   G               Am          G
He wrote this last month, last week he was dead,

    Dm         Am        G
And Simon came home in a casket.

                                   Am
I mind my own business, I watch my TV,

   G                            Dm
Complain about taxes but pay anyway.

     G         Am            G
In a civilized manner my forefathers betray,

    Dm       Am            G
Who long ago struggled for freedom.

                                          Am
But each day a new headline screams at my bluff,

   G                               Dm
On TV some general says we must be tough.

      G        Am            G
In my dreams I stare at this family I love,

    Dm         Am             G
All gutted and spattered with napalm.

     G                                   Am
King Henry marched forth, a sword in his hand,

G                                   Dm
Two thousand horsemen all at his command;

     G             Am         G
In a fortnight the rivers ran red through the land,

    Dm           Am          G
The year fifteen hundred and twenty.

                                  Am
The year it is now nineteen sixty-five,

     G                        Dm
It's easier far to stay half alive.

     G               Am             G
Just keep your mouth shut while the planes zoom and dive

    Dm                       G
Ten thousand miles over the ocean.

    G                            Am
The year it is now much later it seems,

     G                              Dm
It's easier far, in the land of our dreams;

     G               Am       G
Just keep your mouth shut and don't hear the screams,

    Dm             Am       G
Ten thousand miles over the ocean.