A
It’s as if he knows
D A
He’s standing close to me
D A E
His breath warm on my sleeve
E A E
His head hung low
A
It’s as if he knows
D A
What in the dawn will bring
D A
The end of everything
E A
For my old Banjo
A D A
And all along the picket lines ben eath the desert sky
A D
The Light Horsemen move amongst their mates
D A E
to say one last goodbye
E D
and the horses stand so quietly
A D E
Row on silent row
E A D A
It’s as if they know
A
Time after time
D A
We rode through shot and shell
D A E
We rode in and out of Hell
E A E
On their strong backs
A
Time after time
D A
They brought us safely through
D A
By their swift sure hooves
E A
And their brave hearts
A D A
Tomorrow we will form up ranks and march down to the quay
A D A E
And sail back to our loved ones in that dear land across the sea
E D
While our loyal and true companions
D A D E
Who asked so little and gave so much
E A D A
Will lie dead in the dust.
A
For the orders came
D A
No horses to return
D A E
We were to abandon them
E A E
To be slaves
A
After all we’d shared
D A
And all that we’d been through
D A
А Nation’s gratitude
E A
Was a dusty grave
A D
For we can’t leave them to the people here,
A
we’d rather see them dead
A D A E
So each man will take his best mate’s horse
with a bullet through the head
E D
For the people here are like their land
A D E
Wild and cruel and hard
E D A D A
So Banjo, here’s your reward.