"Pro Patria Suite" lyrics - STRAWBS

[I - Back Along (We Were Young)]

It was the final summer, nightingales still sung
Young girls making daisy chains, back along we were young.

Kissing her for the first time, finding her tongue
Brushing her chest by accident, back along we were young.

Meeting her brother Billy all highly-strung
Sensitive, rather quiet, back along we were young.

Making hay by day, making love by night
Watching as the storm clouds gathered

[II - All For Each Other]

Then war broke out, lads had no doubt
Billy was right, whatever all stood in line
What's yours is mine, one final night together.

Basic training for a week
Crap in Sergent Major speak
Hell was no place for the weak
All for each other.

Christ, the battlefield was sparsed
No place to go to wipe your arse
Weeks when nothing came to pass
All for each other.

Bright burning flares, padre said prayers
Billy broke down whatever shell fire immense
Smoke red and dense, one last showdown together.

Rain runs rivers into flood
Shattered bones, pools of blood
We knelt together in the mud
All for each other.

I'm not ashamed to say I cried
The day the lads were crucified
We fought together side by side
All for each other.

Billy caught one in the eye
He took at least one hour to die
I held his hand, just him and I
All for each other.

Life was never meant like this
I'd love to give my girl a kiss
The last words Billy said were
I miss her.

[III - Home Is Where The Heart Was Ever]

Home is where the heart was ever
Hallowed ground where thousands lie
Buried in the fields of honour
Whichever country's flag may fly.

Home is where the heart was ever
Where a single church bell tolls
Bounded by a field of poppies
Each one bears a thousand souls.

Home is where the heart was ever
City, town or countryside
Where the spirits of the fallen
Live forever, named with pride.