Lyrics without the chords

I went to see a legend just the other night

At the Yankee Stadium, underneath the light.

I heard a man speaking after years and years in jail.

His name it was Mandela and he came to tell his tale.

The crowd they cheered him loudly, ah, but then the silence fell

As he spoke about the hard years in a South African cell.

And though he was free, his heart was feelin' the pain,

For his country and his people were still a part of that shame.

He said he hoped that we would join him and walk down freedom's path,

And these roads would be the hardest, oh, but they would be the last.

And to join our hands together so that we might be as one,

And to bring ourselves to the cause so his battle could be won.

I went home to bed that evening, went to sleep and I had a dream.

I was standing in the pouring rain, in an Irish field of green.

And all around the headstones were the martyrs of the past.

I stood there in silence, and they spoke to me at last.

"Kevin Barry is my name, and I died in a cell.

They wanted the names of my comrades, oh, but this I would not tell."

"And I am Roger Casement. I was shot in London town

For bringing German rifles to the lonely Banna Strand."

"James Connolly is my name. The working people are my life.

When they shot me down in Kilmainham Jail with strife."

"And I am Padraic Pearse. I was shot down by the foe.

I read the proclamation at the steps of the GPO."

And the last voice that I heard says, "My name is Bobby Sands,

And it's good to hear Mandela's words a-ringin' through the land.

"I want to hear them in  Belfast, in Derry and Tyrone.

Maybe then those English soldiers will know it's time to go home."

I woke up in the morning. I remembered them all.

And who would believe that they'd knocked down the Berlin Wall?

And I said "Madela, could this really be?

Maybe now we will see Ireland reunited and free.

Maybe now we will see Ireland reunited and free."

Terry O’Neill-Version: (Capo on 2nd fret)

I (C)went to see a (Em)legend (F)just the (G)other (C)night

(Am)At the Yankee (Em)Stadium, (F)underneath the (G)light.

I (Am)heard a man (Em)speaking after (F)years and (G)years in (C)jail.

His name it was Man(Em)dela and he (F)came to (G)tell his (C)tale.

The (C)crowd they cheered him (Em)loudly, ah, but (F)then the (G)silence (C)fell

As he (Am)spoke about the (Em)hard years in a (F)South African (G)cell.

And (Am)though he was (Em)free, his (F)heart was (G)feelin' the (C)pain,

For his country and his (Em)people were (F)still a part (G)of that (C)shame.

He (C)said he hoped that we would (Em)join him and (F)walk down (G)freedom's (C)path,

And (Am)these roads would be the (Em)hardest, oh, but (F)they would be the (G)last.

And to (Am)join our hands to(Em)gether so that (F)we might (G)be as (C)one,

And to bring ourselves (Em)to the cause so his (F)battle (G)could be (C)won.

I went (C)home to bed that (Em)evening, went to (F)sleep and I (G)had a (C)dream.

I was (Am)standing in the (Em)pouring rain, in an (F)Irish field of (G)green.

And (Am)all around the (Em)headstones were the (F)martyrs (G)of the (C)past.

I stood there in (Em)silence, and they (F)spoke to (G)me at (C)last.

"Kevin (C)Barry is my (Em)name, and I (F)died (G)in a (C)cell.

They (Am)wanted the names of my (Em)comrades, oh, but this (F)I would not (G)tell."

"And (Am)I am Roger (Em)Casement. I was (F)shot in (G)London (C)town

For bringing German (Em)rifles to the (F)lonely (G)Banna (C)Strand."

"James (C)Connolly is my (Em)name. The working (F)people (G)are my (C)life.

(Am)When they shot me (Em)down in Kil(F)mainham Jail with (G)strife."

"And (Am)I am Padraic (Em)Pearse. I was (F)shot down (G)by the (C)foe.

I read the procla(Em)mation at the (F)steps of the (G)GP(C)O."

And the (C)last voice that I (Em)heard says, "My (F)name is (G)Bobby (C)Sands,

And it's (Am)good to hear Man(Em)dela's words a-(F)ringin' through the (G)land.

"I (Am)want to hear them in (Em) Belfast, in (F)Derry and (G)Ty(C)rone.

Maybe then those English (Em)soldiers will know it's (F)time (G)to go (C)home."

I (C)woke up in the (Em)morning. I re(F)membered (G)them (C)all.

And (Am)who would be(Em)lieve that they'd (F)knocked down the Berlin (G)Wall?

And (Am)I said "Man(Em)dela, could (F)this (G)really (C)be?

Maybe now we will see (Em)Ireland reu(F)nited (G)and (C)free.

Maybe now we will see (Em)Ireland reu(F)nited (G)and (C)free."