ohn (Bm)Riley came from Galway town in the (D)years of the Irish (Em)hunger
And he (Bm)sailed away to America when
the (Em)country was much (Bm)younger
Now the (Bm)place was strange and work was scarce and (D)all he knew was (Em)farming
So
he (Bm)followed his other Irish friends to a (Em)job in the US (Bm)Army
Chorus
Ad(D)venture calls and some men run, and (Bm)this is their sad (Em)story
Now (Bm)some get drunk on demon
rum and (Em)some get drunk on (Bm)glory
They (Bm)marched down Texas way to the (D)banks of the Rio (Em)Grande
They (Bm)built a fort on the banks above
to (Em)taunt old Santa (Bm)Anna
They were (Bm)treated bad, paid worse, and (D)then the fighting (Em)started
The (Bm)more
they fought the less they thought of the (Em)damned old US (Bm)Army
Chorus
When the (Bm)church bells rang on Sunday morn it (D)set his soul a (Em)shiver
He saw the (Bm)Senoritas washing
their hair on the (Em)far side of the (Bm)river
Then John (Bm)Riley and two hundred more (D)Irish merce(Em)naries
(Bm)Cast
their lot, right or not, (Em)south of the Rio (Bm)Grande
Chorus
Instrumental Bridge
Now (Bm)they fought bravely under the flag of the (D)San Patrici(Em)os
Till the (Bm)Yankees soldiers beat them down
at the (Em)battle of Churu(Bm)busco
Then (Bm)fifteen men were whipped like mules and on the (D)cheeks were hot iron (Em)branded
Made
to (Bm)dig the graves of fifty more, who a (Em)hanging fate had (Bm)handed
Chorus
Instrumental Bridge
John (Bm)Riley stands and drinks alone at a (D)bar in Vera (Em)Cruz
He (Bm)wonders if it matters much if you (Em)win
or if you (Bm)lose
I'm a (Bm)man who can't go home, a (D)wanderer, says (Em)he
I’m a (Bm)victim of some wanderlust
and di(Em)vided loyal(Bm)ty
Chorus twice
