Billy Reid (FULL VERSION)

(Volunteer Billy Reid of the Belfast Brigade 3rd Batallion Died May 15 1971)


Chorus:
All the radio said was another shot dead
And he died with a gun in his hand
But they never said why Billy Reid had to die
Cause he died to free Ireland

1.
I'll sing you a song of a terrible wrong
When the flags all flew at half mast
And a man he lay dead he'd been riddled with lead
And he died on the streets of Belfast

2.
It happened one day when the bold I.R.A
Set out to fight for their land
With an old Thompson gun put the troops on the run
And return to their home was their plan

3.
While returning the guns Billy met British huns
And when the fight had begun
His position was dire when his gun wouldn't fire
So he died with that old Thompson gun

4.
Allthough he lay dead he was kicked in the head
By the hair they dragged him around
But the still fear him yet and we can never forget
How brave Billy Reid stood his ground

5.
If you think he was right come and join in the fight
And help us to free Belfast
For the blood that he shed and allthough he lay dead
In our hearts his memory will last
--

Many thanks to Espen B Hanssen of Norway <espenha@stud.idb.hist.no> for sending in this full version of the lyrics! Yet another example of why Lyric Archives on the internet work!
Beannacht!

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(Thank you also to Irish Brigade for having been so vigilant with this lyric and posting all the updates they had regarding it before we obtained the full version!)