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Top Songs By The Pogues
Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
The Pogues
Performer
Shane MacGowan
Vocals
James Fearnley
Accordion
Jem Finer
Banjo
Cait O'Riordan
Bass Guitar
Andrew Ranken
Drums
Henry Benagh
Fiddle
Dick Cuthell
French Horn
Philip Chevron
Guitar
Spider Stacy
Tin Whistle
Tommy Keane
Uilleann Pipes
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Shane Patrick McGowan
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Nick Robbins
Engineer
Paul Scully
Engineer
Elvis Costello
Producer
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Billy ran around with the rare old crew
And he knew an Arsenal from Tottenham blue
Darn sight better off if we knew
Where Billy's bones are resting now
[Verse 2]
Billy saw a copper and he hit him in the knee
Took him down from six foot to five-foot-three
Hit him fair and square in the do re mi
That copper won't be having any family
[Chorus]
Hey Billy, son, where are you now?
Don't you know that we need you now?
With a ra-ta-ta and the old kow-tow
Where are Billy's bones resting now?
[Verse 3]
Billy went away with the peacekeeping force
'Cause he loved a bloody good fight of course
Went away in a big khaki van
To the banks of the Willie Jordan
[Verse 4]
Billy saw the Arabs and he had 'em on the run
When he got 'em in the range of his sub-machine gun
Then he had Israelis in his sights
Went a ra-ta-ta and they ran like shites
[Chorus]
Hey Billy, son, where are you now?
Don't you know that we need you now?
With a ra-ta-ta and the old kow-tow
Where are Billy's bones resting now?
[Chorus]
Hey Billy, son, where are you now?
Don't you know that we need you now?
With a ra-ta-ta and the old kow-tow
Where are Billy's bones resting now?
[Verse 5]
One night Billy had a rare old time
Laughing and singing on the Lebanon line
Came back to camp not looking too pretty
Never even got to see the Holy City
[Verse 6]
Now Billy's out there in the desert sun
And his mother cries when the morning comes
And there's mothers crying all over this world
For their poor dead darling boys and girls
[Chorus]
Hey Billy, son, where are you now?
Don't you know that we need you now?
With a ra-ta-ta and the old kow-tow
Where are Billy's bones resting now?
With a ra-ta-ta and the old kow-tow (Have a Billy holiday)
Where are Billy's bones resting now?
[Outro]
Born on a Monday
Married on a Tuesday
Drunk on a Wednesday
Got plugged on a Thursday
Sick on a Friday
Died on a Saturday
Buried on a Sunday
Written by: Shane Patrick McGowan