Lyrics

Standing On The Beach
Frank Blades

[verse]
My name is unimportant; just an ordinary lad,
My dad fought in the trenches,
Twas not my fate, for which I’m glad.
Received my invitation, in Nineteen Forty-three,
And joined with Mr Churchill,
To fight the Bosche and serve my King and Queen.

[Chorus]
Now I’m standing on the beach; shells beneath my feet,
England’s cliffs protect my back; I'm waiting for the next attack,
The enemy to meet.

[verse]
They took us down to Aldershot, soldier-boys to make,
They marched us ‘til our feet bled,
They fed us horse; and called it steak.
They taught us how to shoot straight, To fight and never yield,
We bayonetted scarecrows,
Twas not my fate, to do so in the field.

[Chorus]
Now I’m standing on the beach; shells beneath my feet,
England’s cliffs protect my back; I'm waiting for the next attack,
The enemy to meet.

[verse]
Was on the beach at Juno; the closest place to hell,
Young Davie took one in the head,
Twas not my fate, though many fell.
We stormed across the killing field, And caught the Wehrmacht cold,
Marched onward toward Paris,
My longest day, remembered now I’m old.

[Chorus]
I was standing on the beach; shells above my head,
Bullets whistled left and right; I never felt their fatal bite,
Give thanks that I’m not dead.

[Bridge]
And who's left to testify when old soldiers march away,
The page of history fades to dust; the memories of yesterday.

[verse]
He said his name was unimportant; just an ordinary lad,
I took the time to have a chat,
Upon a whim, for which I’m glad.
An understated hero; from a darker, braver day,
He only did his duty,
I shook his hand and humbled went my way.
I shook his hand and humbled went my way.