Roland The Headless
Warren ZevonVersion1
90
Chords in this song
Strum
D-DU-UDU
Roland was a warrior from the Land of the Midnight Sun
With a Thompson gun for hire, fighting to be done
The deal was made in Denmark on a dark and stormy day
So he set out for Biafra to join the bloody fray
Through sixty-six and seven they fought the Congo war
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
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
Harmony:
Roland the headless Thompson gunner (Time, time, time
D A For another peaceful war
Norway's bravest son But time stands still for
Roland
'Til he evens up the score)
They can still see his headless body stalking through the night
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
Roland the headless Thompson gunner...
Roland the headless Thompson gunner...
Roland the headless Thompson gunner...
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
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Readable chord sheet for Roland The Headless by Warren Zevon
R[Bm]oland was a war[D]rior from the Land of the Midnight Sun [G]
[G] [D]
W[A]ith a Thompson gun for hire, fighting to be done
T[Bm]he deal was made in[D] Denmark on a dark and stormy d[G]ay
S[G]o he set out for Bia[D]fra to join t[A]he bloody fray [Bm]
T[Bm]hrough sixty-six and sev[D]en they fought the Congo war [G]
F[G]ingers on their tri[D]ggers, knee-deep in gore [A]
F[Bm]or days and nights they[D] battled the Bantu to their k[G]nees
T[G]hey killed to earn their liv[D]ing and to help o[A]ut the Congoles[Bm]e
R[G]oland the Tho[D]mpson gunner... [A] [Bm]
R[G]oland the Tho[D]mpson gunner... [A] [Bm]
H[Bm]is comrades fought [D]beside him - Van Owen and the r[G]est
B[G]ut of all the Thompson gunn[D]ers Roland was the best [A]
S[Bm]o the CIA[D] decided they wanted Rolan[G]d dead
T[G]hat son-of-a-bitch Van Owe[D]n blew [A]off Roland's head [Bm]
Harmony:
R[D]oland the hea[A]dless Thompson gunne[G]r ([Bm]Time, time, time
D A For another peaceful war
Norway's bravest son But time stands still for
Roland
'Til he evens up the score)
T[A]hey can sti[Bm]ll see hi[A]s headles[D]s body stalk[A]ing thr[G]ough the night [Bm]
I[D]n the muzzle flash[A] of Roland's Thompso[Bm]n gun
I[D]n the muzzle flash[A] of Roland's Thompso[G]n gun [Bm]
R[Bm]oland searched the con[D]tinent for the man who'd done him in [G]
H[G]e found him in Mom[D]bassa in a barroom drinking gin [A]
R[Bm]oland aimed his Tho[D]mpson gun - he didn't say a word [G]
B[G]ut he blew Van Owen's bod[D]y from there[A] to Johanne[Bm]sburg
R[G]oland the headless Tho[D]mpson gunner... [A] [Bm]
R[G]oland the headless Tho[D]mpson gunner... [A] [Bm]
R[G]oland the headless Tho[D]mpson gunner... [A] [Bm]
T[Bm]he eternal Thompson gun[D]ner, still wandering through the night[G]
N[G]ow it's ten years lat[D]er but he still keeps up the fight[A]
I[Bm]n Ireland, in [D]Lebanon, in Palestine and Be[G]rkeley
P[G]atty Hearst hea[G]rd the burst of Rolan[G]d's Thompson gun [D]
A[A]nd bou[Bm]ght it