There Were Roses Chords

Standard (EADGBE)

Gmy song for you this evening

 It's Cnot to mDake you Gsad

 nor for adding to the sDorrows

 of this tCroubled northern Gland

but lately I been thinking

 and it jCust won't lDeave my Gmind

 to tell you of two Dfriends one time

 who were bCoth good friends of Gmine

alan bell from benagh

 he lived jCust acrosDs the fiGelds

 a great man for the Dmusic

 and the dCancing and the reels

Go'malley came from south armagh

 to cCourt young aDlice fGair

 and we'd often meet on the rDyan road

 and lCaughter filled the air

 there were CrosGes, CroGses, there were CroGses

 and the tears of theD people ranC together G

alan he was protestant

and sean was catholic born

it never made a difference

for the friendship it was strong

and sometimes in the evening

when we heard the sound of the drums

we said it won't divide us

we will always be the ones

for the ground our fathers ploughed in

well the soil is just the same

and the places where we say our prayers

have just got different names

we talked about the friends who died

and hoped there'd be no more

it was little then that we realised

the tragedy in store

there were roses, roses, there were roses

and the tears of the people ran together

it was on the sunday morning

when the awful news came round

another killing has been done

just outside newry town

we knew that alan danced up there

we knew he liked the band

when we heard that he was dead

we just could not understand

we gathered at the graveside

on that cold and rainy day

and the minister he closed his eyes

and he prayed for no revenge

and all the ones who knew him

from along the ryan road

bowed their heads

and said a prayer

for the resting of his soul

there were roses, roses, there were roses

and the tears of the people ran together

well fear it filled the countryside

there was fear in every home

when the car of death came prowling

round the lonely ryan road

a catholic will be killed tonight

to even up the score

o christ it's young o'malley

that they've taken from the door

"alan was my friend" he cried

he begged them with his fear

but centuries of hatred

have ears that cannot hear

an eye for an eye

was all that filled their minds

and another eye for another eye

till everyone is blind

there were roses, roses, there were roses

and the tears of the people ran together

so my song for you this evening

it's not to make you sad

nor for adding to the sorrows

of this troubled northern land

but lately I been thinking

and it just won't leave my mind

to tell you of two friends one time

who were both good friends of mine

I don't know where the moral is

or where this song should end

but I wonder just how many wars

are fought between good friends

and those that give the orders

are not the ones to die

it's bell and o'malley

and the likes of you and i

 there were CrosGes, CroGses, there were CroGses

 and the tears of the Dpeople ran Ctogether G

 there were CrosGes, CroGses, there were CroGses