@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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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Although the deal was made in Denmark, Roland was a norwegian! (Norway's bravest son.) Her is a translation from Norwegian to English of the ancient Roland Poem: lyricstranslate.com/en/rolandskvadet-lay-roland.html 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!
Good catch on Nobel Prize! Wow! And poem ! It seemed to me that WZ was pointing out how all these other countries get involved in these conflicts way outside their borders, and escalate conflicts . The US, Britain, Russia, China, etc are famous for it, but WZ points out that it's not just super powers jumping into these deals, but countries like Denmark and Norway too. Everyone loves a war hero, and everyone has to avenge a fallen countryman so fights go on from generation to generation- from the land of the Nobel Peace prize to Denmark to Congo to Johanasburg to Lebanon to Berkley where the hippies protested against Vietnam.