Roland was a warrior
From the Land of the Midnight Sun
With a Thompson Gun for hire
Fighting to be done
The deal was made in Denmark
On a dark and stormy day
So he set out for Biafra
To join the bloody fray
Through '66 and 7
They fought the Congo War
With their fingers on their triggers
Knee-deep in gore
The days and nights they battled
The Bantu to their Knees
They killed to earn their living
And to help out the Congolese
Roland the Thompson Gunner
Roland the Thompson Gunner
His comrades fought beside him
Van Owen and the rest
But of all the Thompson Gunners
Roland was the best
So the CIA decided
They wanted Roland dead
That son-of-a-bitch Van Owen
Blew off Roland's Head
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
Time Time Time for another week of war
Norway's bravest son
Time stands still for Roland til he evens up the score
They can still see his headless body
Stalking through the night
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson Gun
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson Gun
Roland searched the continent
For the man who'd done him in
He found him in Mombassa
In a bar room drinkin' Gin
Roland aimed his Thompson Gun
He didn't say a word
But he blew Van Owen's body
From there to Johanasburg.
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
Talkin about the man
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
The eternal Thompson Gunner
Still wanderin through the night
Now it's ten years later
But he still keeps up the fight
In Ireland, In Lebanon
In Palastine and Berkley
Patty Hurst
Heard the burst
Of Roland's Thompson Gun
And bought it.
From the Land of the Midnight Sun
With a Thompson Gun for hire
Fighting to be done
The deal was made in Denmark
On a dark and stormy day
So he set out for Biafra
To join the bloody fray
Through '66 and 7
They fought the Congo War
With their fingers on their triggers
Knee-deep in gore
The days and nights they battled
The Bantu to their Knees
They killed to earn their living
And to help out the Congolese
Roland the Thompson Gunner
Roland the Thompson Gunner
His comrades fought beside him
Van Owen and the rest
But of all the Thompson Gunners
Roland was the best
So the CIA decided
They wanted Roland dead
That son-of-a-bitch Van Owen
Blew off Roland's Head
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
Time Time Time for another week of war
Norway's bravest son
Time stands still for Roland til he evens up the score
They can still see his headless body
Stalking through the night
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson Gun
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson Gun
Roland searched the continent
For the man who'd done him in
He found him in Mombassa
In a bar room drinkin' Gin
Roland aimed his Thompson Gun
He didn't say a word
But he blew Van Owen's body
From there to Johanasburg.
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
Talkin about the man
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
The eternal Thompson Gunner
Still wanderin through the night
Now it's ten years later
But he still keeps up the fight
In Ireland, In Lebanon
In Palastine and Berkley
Patty Hurst
Heard the burst
Of Roland's Thompson Gun
And bought it.
Lyrics submitted by palmdogg10, edited by Thisbear, RockyMcNut, Loraqs
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner Lyrics as written by David Eric Lindell Warren William Zevon
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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heard the burst of Roland's Thompson Gun and bought it. I believe "...and bought it" means that after she was kidnapped by the guerrilla group "The Symbionese Liberation Army", she literally "bought it". She "bought it" in the sense of adopting the SLA's beliefs and philosophies. She definitely had not "bought it" in the sense of "buying the farm" or "dying in battle" as some have alluded to. She took part in a bank robbery at the Hibernia Bank in San Francisco. She wielded a M1 carbine during the robbery. Later she assumed the pseudonym 'Tania' after Che Guevara's closest female confidant. Psychiatrists said she was a victim of Stockholm Syndrome. She was sentenced to 35 years in jail, but her sentence was commuted by Jimmy Carter and she was released from jail after serving a mere 22 months. She was later given a full pardon by Bill Clinton. Most of all, what a great song.
it just seems like a throwaway line he stuck in there because it was in the news at the time. He did stuff like that in his songs in the live performances I've heard. You could be right, though, I'm not trying to squabble or anything.
For some reason that is one of the funniest verses I have ever heard and seems like a good example of Zevon's macabre wit. The conclusion of the song, about violence as a way to achieve their goals.
This ancient poem exists in many variations around Europe. I think Zevon's song is inspired og this poem. Why WZ chose Norway as Rolands homeland I'm not shure, but maybe it is a comment to the Nobel Peace Prize that Norway has the responsibility for giving out. All the other Nobel prizes has the Swedes responsibility for!
heard the burst of Roland's Thompson Gun and bought it. I believe "...and bought it" means that after she was kidnapped by the guerrilla group "The Symbionese Liberation Army", she literally "bought it" in the sense of adopting the SLA's beliefs and philosophies. She definitely had not "bought it" in the sense of "buying the farm" or "dying in battle" as you alluded to. She took part in a bank robbery at the Hibernia Bank in San Francisco. She wielded a M1 carbine during the robbery. Later she assumed the pseudonym 'Tania' after Che Guevara's closest female confidant. She had clearly "bought" into her kidnappers philosophy. Psychiatrists said she was a victim of Stockholm Syndrome. She was sentenced to 35 years in jail, but her sentence was commuted by Jimmy Carter and she was released from jail after serving a mere 22 months. She was given a full pardon of the bank robbery conviction she participated in by Bill Clinton. Most of all, what a great song.
Even Patty Hearst (kidnapped and brainwashed heiress) used one in SLF bank heist in the '70's.
I wonder if his acid trips prompted these nightmarish visions.