Warren Zevon – Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner (Ukulele)

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Versions (3)

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Chords

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 Am           C                                     F
 Roland was a warrior from the Land of the Midnight Sun

 F                       C                    G
 With a Thompson gun for hire, fighting to be done

     Am               C                            F
 The deal was made in Denmark on a dark and stormy day

 F                 C          G              Am
 So he set out for Biafra to join the bloody fray

 Am                    C                           F
 Through sixty-six and seven they fought the Congo war

 F                C                      G
 Fingers on their triggers, knee-deep in gore

     Am                   C                          F
 For days and nights they battled the Bantu to their knees

 F                         C              G            Am
 They killed to earn their living and to help out the Congolese

 F          C                    G    Am
 Roland the Thompson gunner...

 F          C                    G    Am
 Roland the Thompson gunner...

     Am               C                            F
 His comrades fought beside him - Van Owen and the rest

 F                        C                      G
 But of all the Thompson gunners Roland was the best

        Am     C                       F
 So the CIA decided they wanted Roland dead

 F                       C    G                 Am
 That son-of-a-bitch Van Owen blew off Roland's head
Chorus: Harmony:
 C          G                 F        Am
 Roland the headless Thompson gunner         (Time, time, time
D A For another peaceful war Norway's bravest son But time stands still for Roland 'Til he evens up the score)
 G        Am     G      C         G    F                    Am
 They can still see his headless body stalking through the night

        C               G                 Am
 In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun

        C               G                 F        Am
 In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun

 Am                  C                                     F
 Roland searched the continent for the man who'd done him in

 F               C                              G
 He found him in Mombassa in a barroom drinking gin

 Am               C                              F
 Roland aimed his Thompson gun - he didn't say a word

 F                      C         G        Am
 But he blew Van Owen's body from there to Johannesburg

 F                   C                    G    Am
 Roland the headless Thompson gunner...

 F                   C                    G    Am
 Roland the headless Thompson gunner...

 F                   C                    G    Am
 Roland the headless Thompson gunner...

 Am                   C                                   F
 The eternal Thompson gunner, still wandering through the night

 F                  C                               G
 Now it's ten years later but he still keeps up the fight

    Am          C                         F
 In Ireland, in Lebanon, in Palestine and Berkeley

 F            F                  F                 C
 Patty Hearst heard the burst of Roland's Thompson gun

 G   Am
 And bought it