My Youngest Son Came Home Today


Hello there. First time tabber, so forgive any errors you uncover.

This is an old anti-war tune that should probably also be listed under Eric Bogle,
Mary Black, Elvis Costello, and Billy Bragg - all of 'em have recorded it
at various times. I became acquainted with the song from hearing the Stipe-Bragg duet
version live at Mountainstage.


Dm                     F      C
My youngest son came home today
Dm                            F        C
His friends marched with him all the way.
Dm                     C      F
A fife and drum beat out the time.
Dm                     C      F
While in his box of polished pine,
Dm      Am          Dm      Am
Like dead meat on a butcher's tray,
Dm                   C      Dm
My youngest son came home today.


My youngest son was a fine young man,
With a wife, a daughter, and two sons.
As a man he would have lived and died,
Until by a bullet, sanctified.
Now he's a saint, or so they say,
They brought their young saint home today.

Above the narrow Belfast streets,
An Irish sky looks down and weeps
At children's blood in gutters spilled,
And dreams of glory unfulfilled.
As part of freedom's price to pay,
My youngest son came home today.

My youngest son came home today.
His friends marched with him all the way.
A fife and drum beat out the time.
While in his box of polished pine,
Like dead meat on a butcher's tray,
My youngest son came home today.

Dm                   C       Dm