Warren Zevon - Roland The Headless

roland the headless thompson gunner – warren zevon

capo iii ( can be adjusted for your preferred key )

verse 1
Em G Cadd9
roland was a warrior , from the land of the midnight sun
G D
with a thompson gun for hire , fighting to be done
Em G Cadd9
the deal was made in denmark on a dark and stormy day
G D Em
so he set out for biafra , to join the bloody fray

verse 2 ( same as v1 )
through ’66 – and – 7 , they fought the congo war
with their 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

chorus 1
Cadd9 G D Em
roland the thompson gunner ( 2x )

verse 3
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

chorus 2
G D Cadd9
roland the headless thompson gunner
G D
norway’s bravest son
Cadd9 G Em Cadd9
they can still see his headless body stalking through the night
G D Em
in the muzzle flash of roland’s thompson gun
G D Cadd9 D Em
in the muzzle flash of roland’s thompson gun

verse 4
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

Cadd9 G D Em
roland the headless thompson gunner
Cadd9 G D Em
roland the headless thompson gunner
Cadd9 G D Em
roland the headless thompson gunner ( talkin’ about the man )
Cadd9 G D Em
roland the headless thompson gunner

Em G Cadd9
the eternal thompson gunner still wanders through the night
G D
now it’s ten years later , but he still keeps up the fight
Em G Cadd9
in ireland , in lebanon , in palestine and berkeley . . .
D
patty hearst heard the burst of roland’s thompson gun
Em
and bought it