Each Dollar a Bullet

Oh it must be so romantic
 When the fighting's over there
 And they're passing round the shamrock
 And you're all filled up with tears
 "For the love of dear old Ireland"
 That you've never even seen
 You throw in twenty dollars
 And sing "Wearing of the Green
 Each dollar a bullet
 Each victim someone's son
 And Americans kill Irishmen
 As surely
 As if they fired the gun
 Now you've never stood on Belfast's streets
 And heard the bombs explode
 Or hid beneath the blankets
 When there's riots down the road
 No you've never had your best friend die
 Or lost a favorite son
 But you'll stand there and tell us
 Just what we're doing wrong
 Each false word a bullet
 Each victim someone's son
 And Englishmen kill Irishmen
 As surely
 As if they fired the gun
 From the minute that you're born you're told
 To hate the other side
 "They're not like us, they're not the same
 We know because we're right"
 But can't you see we're all the same
 There is no right and wrong
 Why can't we stop and realize
 Just what we're doing wrong
 We've hated too much too long
 Each old lie a bullet
 Each victim someone's son
 And Irishmen kill Irishmen
 As surely
 As if they fired the gun
 How can you convince yourself
 That what you do is right?
 When people are dying there
 Night after night
 Don't you ever wonder
 Why it still goes on?
 The hopes and fears and all the tears
 Are buried in your ground
 Buried in your ground
 Each rumour a bullet
 Each victim someone's son
 And careless talk kills Irishmen
 As surely
 As if words fired the gun
 Well it's lasted for so long now
 And so many have died
 It's such a part of my own life
 Yet it leaves me mystified
 How a people so intelligent
 Friendly, kind and brave
 Can throw themselves so willingly
 Into an open grave
 Each new day a bullet
 Each victim someone's son
 And ignorance kills Irishmen
 As surely
 As if we fired the gun!