Neither King Nor Kaiser

A hundred years ago today
the arms race was at an end
If there was a soul alive
who could begin to comprehend
The suffering to follow,
the hell that would transpire
When the soldiers were lined up
and the men began to fire

A hundred years ago today,
all around the world
There were hordes of marching men
with flags of empire unfurled
And then there was the opposition
who wouldn't stay on bended knee
Who said we'll fight for neither King
nor Kaiser, neither God nor Country

A hundred years ago today
the streets were filled to burst
With millions of people
who said they had no thirst
For the blood of other workers
who lived across the sea
They said we'll fight for neither king
nor kaiser, neither God nor country

A hundred years ago today
referendums were ignored
Democracy was something
no empire could afford
Sedition laws were passed
and they filled the penitentiaries
We'll fight for neither king
nor kaiser, neither God nor country

A hundred years ago today
the executions were at dawn
Bomb blasts filled the air,
the battle lines were drawn
The muddy fields were all red,
a voice echoed amid the bodies
We'll fight for neither king
nor kaiser, neither God nor country