Billy's Bones (The Pogues cover) Lyrics
And he knew an arsenal from Tottenham blue
We'd be a darn sight better off if we knew where
Billy's bones are resting now
Billy saw a copper and he hit him in the knee
Took him down from six foot to five foot three
Then he hit him fair and square in the do-re-me
That copper won't be having any family
Don't you know that we need you now?
With aratata and the old kow-tow
Where are Billy's bones resting now?
Because he liked a bloody good fight, of course
Went away in an old khaki van to the banks of the river Jordan
Billy saw the Arabs and he had them on the run
When he got them in the range of his sub-machine gun
Then he got the Israelis in his sights
Went ra-ta-ta and they ran like Shi-ites
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
And his mother cries when the morning comes
And there's mother's crying all over the world
For their poor dead darling boys and girls
Hey Billy, son, where are you now?
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 Sunday

I think this song is about young men fighting in a war, and how tragic it is. I think it is a great song, and more people should comment on it. My favorite part is when it goes, "And there's mothers crying all over the world for their poor dead darling boys and girls." It is a great line and shows how tragic young people dying in war is.

it's a pogues song written by their singer shane macgowan who many see as one of the greatest songwriters ever.
like all of shane's songs, there is a lot of meaning behind it. if you want the full story go to poguetry.com and go to the 'rum, sodomy, and the lash' album.
anyway, it's got crap to do with war like madcappunk said.

The word's 'shite.' It's the Irish pronunciation of shit. The song has fuckall to do with the shi-ites.

Sorry Goodbar but the meaning at poguetry.com is also far off.
This song is obviously about football hooliganism. Tottenham supporters refer to themselfs has "yids", "Israelites" and "jews" because the club has a large Jewish following and some original owners/creators were Jews. Tottenham also has a fierce rivalry with Arsenal.

*themselves