I fought in a war and I left my friends behind me
To go looking for the enemy, and it wasn't very long
Before I would stand with another boy in front of me
And a corpse that just fell into me, with the bullets flying round
And I reminded myself of the words you said when we were getting on
And I bet you're making shells back home for a steady boy to wear
Round his neck, well it won't hurt to think of you as if you're waiting for
This letter to arrive because I'll be here quite a while
I fought in a war and I left my friends behind me
To go looking for the enemy, and it wasn't very long
Before I found out that the sickness there ahead of me
Went beyond the bedsit infamy of the decade gone before
And I reminded myself of the words you said when we were getting on
And I bet you're making shells back home for a steady man to wear
Round his neck, well it won't hurt to think of you as if you're waiting for
This letter to arrive because I'll be here quite a while
I fought in a war, and I didn't know where it would end
It stretched before me infinitely, I couldn't really think
Of the day beyond now, keep your head down pal
There's trouble plenty in this hour, this day
I can see hope I can see light
And I reminded myself of the looks you gave when we were getting on
And I bet you're making shells back home for a steady man to wear
Round his neck, well it won't hurt to think of you as if you're waiting for
This letter to arrive because I'll be here quite a while
To go looking for the enemy, and it wasn't very long
Before I would stand with another boy in front of me
And a corpse that just fell into me, with the bullets flying round
And I reminded myself of the words you said when we were getting on
And I bet you're making shells back home for a steady boy to wear
Round his neck, well it won't hurt to think of you as if you're waiting for
This letter to arrive because I'll be here quite a while
I fought in a war and I left my friends behind me
To go looking for the enemy, and it wasn't very long
Before I found out that the sickness there ahead of me
Went beyond the bedsit infamy of the decade gone before
And I reminded myself of the words you said when we were getting on
And I bet you're making shells back home for a steady man to wear
Round his neck, well it won't hurt to think of you as if you're waiting for
This letter to arrive because I'll be here quite a while
I fought in a war, and I didn't know where it would end
It stretched before me infinitely, I couldn't really think
Of the day beyond now, keep your head down pal
There's trouble plenty in this hour, this day
I can see hope I can see light
And I reminded myself of the looks you gave when we were getting on
And I bet you're making shells back home for a steady man to wear
Round his neck, well it won't hurt to think of you as if you're waiting for
This letter to arrive because I'll be here quite a while
Lyrics submitted by girlboyrevolt
I Fought in a War Lyrics as written by Christopher Geddes Campbe
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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The chorus jumps to the present, where the relationship has fallen apart.
He imagines that his former lover still has feelings for him, although he knows really that she has found someone new. However, he is happy for now with his delusion - until he finds someone new himself, he can dream that she still wants him, which keeps him a little bit happy.
The place that he will 'be here quite a while' could refer to the hung up feelings that are stopping him moving on. So while he is still hung up and not moving on, he can imagine she still feels for him. This is harmless to her, but creates a vicious cycle for him - as long as he thinks of her as waiting for him, he won't get over her. Therefore he will be 'here quite a while'.
this is a really brilliant song btw
To keep himself sane/occupied he thinks about a girl he once knew before the war (possibly his sweetheart) and the letters she sends him - she is doing her part for the war too (making ammunition).
The line 'Keep your head down pal' refers to the the fact that if any part of your body appeared above the trench, you were likely to lose it and the 'sickness' is possibly shell shock.
Some good lyrics. Good song.