Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner

Words & Music:

Warren Zevon

 

Am           C                                     F

Roland was a warrior from the land of the midnight sun.

         C                      G

With his 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.

 

Through '66 and 7, they fought the Congo war.

With their fingers on their triggers, knee deep in gore.

For days and nights they battled the Bantu to their knees.

They killed to earn their living and to help out the Congolese.

 

CHORUS:

F           C        G     Am

Roland, the Thompson gunner.

Roland, the Thompson gunner.

 

His comrades fought beside him, Van Owen and the rest.

But of all the Thompson gunners, Roland was the best.

So, the CIA decided they wanted Roland dead.

That son of a bitch Van Owen blew off Roland's head.

 

BRIDGE:

C           G                      F            Am

Roland, the headless Thompson gunner,

     (simultaneously:  Time, time, time, for another peaceful war.)

C                          G

Norway's bravest son.

     (simultaneously:  But time stands still for Roland, 'til he evens up the score.)

         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.

In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun.

 

Roland searched the continent for the man who'd done him in.

He found him in Mombassa, in a barroom drinking gin.

Roland aimed his Thompson gun, he didn't say a word.

But he blew Van Owen's body from there to Johannesburg.

 

CHORUS:  [2x]

 

The eternal Thompson gunner, still wandering through the night.

Now it's ten years later, but he still keeps up the fight.

In Ireland, in Lebanon, in Palestine and Berkeley.

Patty Hearst heard the burst of Roland's Thompson gun and bought it.

 





Back to the Songbook Index.

This page's content is copyrighted ©1977-2008 by Kristin C. Hall. Please drop me a line (via "dink (at) media (dot) mit (dot) edu") if you wish to use it or link to it or correct it! Please send comments, suggestions, fixes and general mischievious mayhem to the web diva via the above email address. (sorry, spambots have forced me to remove my automatic mail link.) Many thanks...and enjoy!

Note to lawyers and any other litigious-minded folk:
I am not trying to screw anyone out of royalties, etc. I have posted these only as a helpful resources for teachers, camp counselors and people who like to "sing along with Mitch", if you will. If you do not want your work posted to these pages, please just email me (via "dink (at) media (dot) mit (dot) edu") and I shall remove it.