Until very recently I used to teach at a grade school, and I was always in charge of organising the Remembrance Day ceremony… ‘One Tin Soldier’ sung by the Grade 5 chorus was always a staple. Never a dry eye in the house.

Upped the D’aww factor, just ‘cause.

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.

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.

Came an answer from the kingdom,

“With our brothers we will share

All the secrets of our mountain,

All the riches buried there.”

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 judgement day,

On the bloody morning after….

One tin soldier rides away.