St Patrick Battalion
View chords used in this chart
Intro: D Dsus2 D D Dsus2 D
Verse
D Bm - Bsus2
My name is John Riley,
G D - Dsus2
I'll have your ear only a while.
G D - F#m
I left my dear home in Ireland
Bm F#m Bm - A G
It was death, starvation or exile.
G D - Dsus2
And when I got to America,
G Bm
It was my duty to go,
D G
Enter the army and slog across Texas
A Bm - Bsus2 Bm A
To join in the war against Mexico.
D Bm - Bsus2
And it was there in the pueblos and hillsides,
G D - Dsus2
That I saw the mistake I had made.
G D F#m
Part of a conquering army
Bm F#m Bm - A G
With the morals of a bayonet blade.
G D - Dsus2
So in the midst of these poor, dying Catholics,
G Bm
Screaming children, the burning stench of it all,
D G
Myself and two hundred Irishmen
A Bm
Decided to rise to the call...
[Refrão]
G D - Dsus2
From Dublin City, to San Diego
A Bm
We witnessed freedom denied
G D
So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion
A Bm - Bsus2
And we fought on the Mexican side
Verse
D Bm - Bsus2
We marched 'neath the green flag of Saint Patrick
G D - Dsus2
Emblazoned with "Erin Go Bragh"
G D - F#m
Bright with the harp and the shamrock
Bm F#m Bm - A G
And "Libertad para Mexicana"
G D - Dsus2
Just fifty years after Wolftone
G Bm
Five thousand miles away
D G
The Yanks called us a Legion of Strangers
A Bm
And they can talk as they may
But--
[Refrão]
G D - Dsus2
From Dublin City, to San Diego
A Bm
We witnessed freedom denied
G D
So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion
A Bm - Bsus2
And we fought on the Mexican side
Verse
D Bm - Bsus2
We fought them in Matamoros
G D - Dsus2
While their volunteers were raping the nuns
G D - F#m
In Monterey and Cerro Gordo
Bm F#m Bm - A G
We fought on as Ireland's sons
G D - Dsus2
We were the red-headed fighters for freedom
G Bm
Amidst these brown-skinned women and men
D G
Side by side we fought against tyranny
A Bm
And I dare say we'd do it again
[Refrão]
G D - Dsus2
From Dublin City, to San Diego
A Bm
We witnessed freedom denied
G D
So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion
A Bm - Bsus2
And we fought on the Mexican side
Verse
D Bm - Bsus2
We fought them in Matamoros
G D - Dsus2
While their volunteers were raping the nuns
G D - F#m
In Monterey and Cerro Gordo
Bm F#m Bm - A G
We fought on as Ireland's sons
G D - Dsus2
We were the red-headed fighters for freedom
G Bm
Amidst these brown-skinned women and men
D G
Side by side we fought against tyranny
A Bm
And I dare say we'd do it again
[Refrão]
G D - Dsus2
From Dublin City, to San Diego
A Bm
We witnessed freedom denied
G D
So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion
A Bm - Bsus2
And we fought on the Mexican side
Instrumental Verse
D Bm - Bsus2
G D - Dsus2
G D - F#m
Bm F#m Bm - A G
G D - Dsus2
G Bm
D G
A Bm
Instrumental Chorus
G D - Dsus2
A Bm
G D
A Bm - Bsus2
Verse
D Bm - Bsus2
We fought them in five major battles
G D Dsus2
Churobusco was the last
G D - F#m
Overwhelmed by the cannons from Boston
Bm F#m Bm - A G
We fell after each mortar blast
G D - Dsus2
Most of us died on that hillside
G Bm
In the service of the Mexican state
D G
So far from our occupied homeland
A Bm
We were heroes and victims of fate
[Refrão]
G D - Dsus2
From Dublin City, to San Diego
A Bm
We witnessed freedom denied
G D
So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion
A Bm - Bsus2
And we fought on the Mexican side
G D
We formed the Saint Patrick Battalion
A Bm
And we fought on the Mexican side
How to play St Patrick Battalion
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is D. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.