Page 135
Warren Zevon played this in Bm, Nate plays in Am capo 2 after peachfreeze1 on YT
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
by Warren Zevon
Intro: w/u d/e hammer
Roland was a warrior from the Land of the Midnight Sun
With a Thompson gun for hire, fighting to be done
The deal was made in Denmark on a dark and stormy day
So he set out for Biafra to join the bloody fray
Through sixty-six and seven they fought the Congo war
Fingers on their triggers, knee-deep in gore
For days and nights they battled the Bantu to their knees
They killed to earn their living and to help out the Congolese
( Chorus1
Roland the Thompson gunner x2 )
His comrades fought beside him - Van Owen and the rest
But of all the Thompson gunners Roland was the best
So the CIA decided they wanted Roland dead
That son-of-a-bitch Van Owen blew off Roland's head
Chorus2 (Harmony):
Roland the headless Thompson gunner
( Time, time, time... For another peaceful war )
Norway's bravest son
( But time stands still for Roland 'til he evens up the score )
They can still see his headless body
stalking through the night
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun
Roland searched the continent for the man who'd done him in
He found him in Mombassa in a barroom drinking gin
Roland aimed his Thompson gun - he didn't say a word
But he blew Van Owen's body from there to Johannes- burg
( Chorus3
Roland the headless Thompson gunner x4 )
(talkin' about the man, now)
The eternal Thompson gunner,
still wandering through the night
Now it's ten years later but he still keeps up the fight
In Ireland, in Lebanon, in Palestine and Berk-eley
Patty Hearst (5 strums)
heard the burst (5 strums)
of Roland's Thompson gun and bought it
Roland was a warrior from the Land of the Midnight Sun
With a Thompson gun for hire, fighting to be done
The deal was made in Denmark on a dark and stormy day
So he set out for Biafra to join the bloody fray
Through sixty-six and seven they fought the Congo war
Fingers on their triggers, knee-deep in gore
For days and nights they battled the Bantu to their knees
They killed to earn their living and to help out the Congolese
( Chorus1
Roland the Thompson gunner x2 )
His comrades fought beside him - Van Owen and the rest
But of all the Thompson gunners Roland was the best
So the CIA decided they wanted Roland dead
That son-of-a-bitch Van Owen blew off Roland's head
Chorus2 (Harmony):
Roland the headless Thompson gunner
( Time, time, time... For another peaceful war )
Norway's bravest son
( But time stands still for Roland 'til he evens up the score )
They can still see his headless body
stalking through the night
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun
Roland searched the continent for the man who'd done him in
He found him in Mombassa in a barroom drinking gin
Roland aimed his Thompson gun - he didn't say a word
But he blew Van Owen's body from there to Johannes- burg
( Chorus3
Roland the headless Thompson gunner x4 )
(talkin' about the man, now)
The eternal Thompson gunner,
still wandering through the night
Now it's ten years later but he still keeps up the fight
In Ireland, in Lebanon, in Palestine and Berk-eley
Patty Hearst (5 strums)
heard the burst (5 strums)
of Roland's Thompson gun and bought it