The Big Battle
Johnny CashVersion1
90
Chords in this song
Strum
D-DU-UDU
I think, sir, the battle is over;
And the young soldier lay down his gun.
I'm tired of running for cover;
I'm certain the battle is done.
O'er sea over there where we fought them
It's quiet, for they've all gone away.
All left is the dead and the dyin',
the blue lyin' long side the grave.
So, you think the battle is over,
and you even lay down your gun.
You carelessly rise from your cover,
for you think the battle is done.
Now, boy, hit the dirt, listen to me,
for I'm still the one in command.
Get flat on the ground here beside me
and lay your ear to the sand.
Can you here the deafening rumble?
Can you feel the trembling ground?
It's just the horses and wagons
that make such deafening sound.
For ev'ry shot fired had an echo
and ev'ry man killed wanted life.
There lies your friend, Jim McKinney.
Can you take the news to his wife?
No, son, the battle's not over;
the battle has only begun.
The rest of the battle will cover
the part that has blackened the sun.
The fight yet to come's not with cannons,
Nor will the fight be hand to hand.
No one will regroup the forces;
No charge will a gen'ral command.
The battle will rage in the bosom
of mother and sweetheart and wife.
Brother and sister and daughter
will grieve for the rest of their lives.
Now, quiet, rise from your cover.
Be thankful that God let you live,
to go fight the rest of the battle
for those who gave all they could give.
I see, sir, the battle's not over;
the battle has only begun.
The rest of the battle will cover
this part that has blackened the sun.
For though there's no sound of the cannon,
and though there's no smoke in the sky,
I'm droppin' my gun and the saber,
and ready for battle am I.
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Readable chord sheet for The Big Battle by Johnny Cash
[A] [A] [A] [A]
[A]I think, sir, the battle is over;
And the young soldier lay down his gun. [E7]
I'm tired of running for cover;
I'm certain the battle is done. [A]
O'er sea[D] over there where we fought them [A]
It's q[E7]uiet, for they've all gone away. [A]
All left is the dead and the dyin',
the blu[E7]e lyin' long side the grave. [A]
[G] [G] [G] [G]
So, yo[G]u think the battle is over,
and you even lay down your gun. [D7]
You carelessly rise from your cover,
for you think the battle is done. [G]
Now, boy,[C] hit the dirt, listen to me, [G]
for I[D7]'m still the one in command. [G] [D7]
Get fla[G]t on the ground here beside me
and lay[D7] your ear to the sand. [G]
[A] [A] [A] [A]
Can you[A] here the deafening rumble?
Can you feel the trembling ground? [E7]
It's just the horses and wagons
that make such deafening sound. [A]
For ev[D]'ry shot fired had an echo [A]
and ev[E7]'ry man killed wanted life. [A] [E7]
[A]There lies your friend, Jim McKinney.
Can you[E7] take the news to his wife? [A]
[G] [G] [G] [G]
[G]No, son, the battle's not over;
the battle has only begun. [D7]
The rest of the battle will cover
the part that has blackened the sun. [G]
The fig[C]ht yet to come's not with cannons, [G]
Nor wil[D7]l the fight be hand to hand. [G] [D7]
[G]No one will regroup the forces;
No cha[D7]rge will a gen'ral command. [G]
[A] [A] [A] [A]
The bat[A]tle will rage in the bosom
of mother and sweetheart and wife. [E7]
Brother and sister and daughter
will grieve for the rest of their lives. [A]
Now, quiet[D], rise from your cover. [A]
Be tha[E7]nkful that God let you live, [A] [E7]
to g[A]o fight the rest of the battle
for th[E7]ose who gave all they could give. [A]
[G] [G] [G] [G]
I [G]see, sir, the battle's not over;
the battle has only begun. [D7]
The rest of the battle will cover
this part that has blackened the sun. [G]
For tho[C]ugh there's no sound of the cannon, [G]
and tho[D7]ugh there's no smoke in the sky, [G] [D7]
I'm dr[G]oppin' my gun and the saber,
and rea[D]dy for battle am I. [G]