I pledge allegiance to our countrymen Our country it is safe again As we safely go to bed at night In our warm nests
I sing my song
I have been this place before As I spoke unto the children My hands they seem to tremble The closer I get
I'm a very stupid man And I'll lead them to the slaughter Save the son and daughter Of our failing every-man
Our love is a lovely geas But the price it is uncertain And the way it is so dangerous To those of little pride
And I wash my hands clean In the waters of optimism Contaminating pearls with eager sacrifice, my friends Eager sacrifice Eager sacrifice, my fiends Eager sacrifice
Sleep sweet countrymen Till we need you again We will raise our arms Against the face of horror
And I will fight and feed Oh, in the name of need Get on your battered knees And please don't make a sound
The soldiers are asleep In our holy land of questions The most important lesson They get out of life
And I call out to the parson He waves his hands against me My countrymen like Christians With the lions around
And I call out to the general In his most vital position As the king of isolation In this land of suicides
And I call out to the maidens Who wear the pelts of jackals And little less but shackles Fill our lust-filled appetites, my friends Our lust-filled appetites Our lust-filled appetites, my friends Our lust-filled appetites
This, sweet countrymen Is where our paths will end Your duty's fair and just My duty's what I must
Fondly I think of you In what I have to do I'll burn the chapel house And make attempts at truce
And at 11:59 I'll hoist your flag and make it mine Against the wall, it's closing time I'll send your wounded down the line
And I will count the ways Oh each and every day:
Nine Eight Seven Six Five Four Three Two One
So please, Rise for the very honored judge The jury has yet to appear We'll make this gallowpole your home We'll make our motives very clear
(round over previous verse, repeating) I will fall into the depths of hell Before I sail this ship a port Forget about the house of God And blow away this house of cards
(round over previous verses, repeating) As the saints go marching in I know I was born into sin And if I die before I wake I beg you all my sin to take
Oh my countrymen Sleep sweet countrymen Oh my countrymen Sleep sweet countrymen Oh my countrymen Sleep sweet countrymen Oh my countrymen Sleep sweet country- Sleep sweet countrymen