[Verse 1]
D F#m
When they give you gun and tell you war has begun
G A
And send you out to do some murder
D F#m
Don't fight on their wars defy all their bourgeois laws
G A D
Class brothers must not shoot one another
[Chorus]
D
In imperialist wars workers give their lives
G D
The ruling class makes no sacrifice
G
We have no choice if we want to live in peace
D G A D
Don't die for them but bring them to their knees
[Verse 2]
D F#m
Before the first world war, labour leaders hotly swore
G A
That by the working class they'd stand
D F#m
But when the capitalist called, on their well-worn knees they crawled
G A D
To fight for their glorious homeland
D F#m
When the spectre of world war comes knocking at the door
G A
Class traitors start to howl
D F#m
But we don't have to fear, it means the time is getting near
G A D
When the working class shall rule
[Chorus]
D
In imperialist wars workers give their lives
G D
The ruling class makes no sacrifice
G
We have no choice if we want to live in peace
D G A D
Don't die for them but bring them to their knees
[Verse 3]
D F#m
Some say the British empire has finally expired
G A
And its rulers lost all life
D F#m
But if that's so we would like to know why in many lands across the globe
G A D
they still wield their butchers knife
D F#m
In lands across the sea they're now fighting to be free
G A
Their demand is to rule themselves
D F#m
We've got a common cause we must support them in their wars
G A D
By fighting to free ourselves
[Chorus]
D
In imperialist wars workers give their lives
G D
The ruling class makes no sacrifice
G
We have no choice if we want to live in peace
D G A D
Don't die for them but bring them to their knees