Listen, children, to a story
That was written long ago
'Bout a kingdom on a mountain
And the valley-folk below

On the mountain was a treasure
Buried deep beneath the stone
And the valley-people swore
They'd have it for their very own

Go ahead and hate your neighbor
Go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of heaven
You can justify it in the end
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgment day
On the bloody morning after
One tin soldier rides away

So the people of the valley
Sent a message up the hill
Asking for the buried treasure
Tons of gold for which they'd kill

It came an answer from the mountain
With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain
All the riches buried there

Go ahead and hate your neighbor
Go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of heaven
You can justify it in the end
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgment day
On the bloody morning after
One tin soldier rides away

Now the valley cried with anger
"Mount your horses! Draw your sword!"
And they killed the mountain-people
So they won their just reward

Now they stood beside the treasure
On the mountain, dark and red
Turned the stone and looked beneath it
"Peace on Earth" was all it said

Go ahead and hate your neighbor
Go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of heaven
You can justify it in the end
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgment day
On the bloody morning after
One tin soldier rides away

Go ahead and hate your neighbor
Go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of heaven
You can justify it in the end
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgment day
On the bloody morning after
One tin soldier rides away


Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death

One Tin Soldier Lyrics as written by Brian Potter Dennis Earle Lambert

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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One Tin Soldier song meanings
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32 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    Well, the soldiers who fight in wars definitely aren't "tin soldiers." They're brave or hateful of full of bloodlust but they aren't cold or heartless.

    I think what the One Tin Soldier, signifies, Orph, is that there is no winning. He's on the victorious side, but he's hollow and he's gained nothing. So he just rides away and it comes off as being sad and broken.

    Tamaranison July 07, 2005   Link

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