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Letter From Bilbao Lyrics
I am writing you this letter in desperation I'm afraid
And I won't be back to Lindsay for the veterans' parade
'Cause I got banged up pretty good in a street-fight in Bilbao
And I won't be coming home to see your young and pretty face
I am far too young to feel so old
And far too tired to care
That I took down twenty bastards before they left me lying here
When I landed here a year ago I know that I believed
That it was better to die upon your feet than to live upon your knees
And it's not that I care any less for that philosophy
But I would spend one night with you in trade for all that I've achieved
'Cause I was never much on dreams
And they were never big on me
And I can't dream my way home from a grave site by the sea
So I'll clench my fist and once more sing the Internationale
And I'll say, "goodbye, I love you."
'Cause it's time that I should go
And I won't be back to Lindsay for the veterans' parade
'Cause I got banged up pretty good in a street-fight in Bilbao
And I won't be coming home to see your young and pretty face
And far too tired to care
That I took down twenty bastards before they left me lying here
That it was better to die upon your feet than to live upon your knees
And it's not that I care any less for that philosophy
But I would spend one night with you in trade for all that I've achieved
And they were never big on me
And I can't dream my way home from a grave site by the sea
And I'll say, "goodbye, I love you."
Song Info
Submitted by
mafiachuck On Apr 11, 2004
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It used to bother me that Ron pronounces Bilbao wrong in this song. It's not "Bill-bay-oh" but actually pronounced "Bill-bow" (as in take a "bow" before the audience / not "bow" as wrapping a package). Anyhow, since the volunteer soldier in this song might be from Lindsay Ontario, it could be argued that he didn't know how to pronounced it neither.
Also FYI: The Mackenzie–Papineau Battalion or Mac-Paps were a battalion of Canadians who fought as part of the XV International Brigade on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War. Except for France, no other country gave a greater proportion of its population as volunteers in Spain than Canada.
Also FYI: The Mackenzie–Papineau Battalion or Mac-Paps were a battalion of Canadians who fought as part of the XV International Brigade on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War. Except for France, no other country gave a greater proportion of its population as volunteers in Spain than Canada.