BLOOD ON THE RISERS
Sung in the tune of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"
[Verse 1]
G G7 G7/B
He was just a rookie trooper and he surely shook with fright,
C G D7
He checked all his equipment and made sure his pack was tight;
G G7 B7 Em
He had to sit and listen to those awful engines roar,
Am D4 D G
"You ain't gonna jump no more!"
[Chorus]
G G7 G7/B C C7 G G7
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die! Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.
G G7/F B7/D# Em Am D4 D G
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die, He ain't gonna jump no more!
[Verse 2]
G G7 G7/B
"Is everybody happy?" cried the Sergeant looking up,
C G D7
Our Hero feebly answered "Yes," and then they stood him up;
G G7 B7 Em
He jumped into the icy blast, his static line unhooked,
Am D4 D G
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
[Chorus]
G G7 G7/B C C7 G G7
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die! Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.
G G7/F B7/D# Em Am D4 D G
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die, He ain't gonna jump no more!
[Verse 3]
G G7 G7/B
He counted long, he counted loud, he waited for the shock,
C G D7
He felt the wind, he felt the cold, he felt the awful drop,
G G7 B7 Em
The silk from his reserves spilled out, and wrapped around his legs,
Am D4 D G
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
[Chorus]
G G7 G7/B C C7 G G7
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die! Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.
G G7/F B7/D# Em Am D4 D G
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die, He ain't gonna jump no more!
[Verse 4]
G G7 G7/B
The risers swung around his neck, connectors cracked his dome,
C G D7
Suspension lines were tied in knots around his skinny bones;
G G7 B7 Em
The canopy became his shroud; he hurtled to the ground
Am D4 D G
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
[Chorus]
G G7 G7/B C C7 G G7
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die! Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.
G G7/F B7/D# Em Am D4 D G
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die, He ain't gonna jump no more!
[Verse 5]
G G7 G7/B
The days he'd lived and loved and laughed kept running through his mind,
C G D7
He thought about the girl back home, the one he'd left behind;
G G7 B7 Em
He thought about the medics, and He wondered what they'd find,
Am D4 D G
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
[Chorus]
G G7 G7/B C C7 G G7
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die! Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.
G G7/F B7/D# Em Am D4 D G
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die, He ain't gonna jump no more!
[Verse 6]
G G7 G7/B
The ambulance was on the spot, the jeeps were running wild,
C G D7
The medics jumped and screamed with glee, they rolled their sleeves and smiled,
G G7 B7 Em
For it had been a week or more since last a 'Chute had failed,
Am D4 D G
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
[Chorus]
G G7 G7/B C C7 G G7
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die! Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.
G G7/F B7/D# Em Am D4 D G
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die, He ain't gonna jump no more!
[Verse 7]
G G7 G7/B
He hit the ground, the sound was "SPLAT", his blood went spurting high;
C G D7
His comrades, they were heard to say "A HELL OF A WAY TO DIE!"
G G7 B7 Em
He lay there, rolling 'round in the welter of his gore,
Am D4 D G
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
[Chorus]
G G7 G7/B C C7 G G7
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die! Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.
G G7/F B7/D# Em Am D4 D G
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die, He ain't gonna jump no more!
[Verse 8, solemnly (half speed of other verses)]
G G7 G7/B
There was blood upon the risers, there were brains upon the chute,
C G D7
Intestines were a-dangling from his paratroopers suit,
G G7 B7 Em
He was a mess, they picked him up, and poured him from his boots,
Am D4 D G
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
[Chorus, solemnly (half speed of other verses)]
G G7 G7/B C C7 G G7
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die! Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.
G G7/F B7/D# Em Am D4 D G
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die, He ain't gonna jump no more!