Lyrics Steve Earle

Steve Earle

Dixieland

I am Kilrain and I'm a fightin' man

And I come from County Clare

And the brits would hang me for a fenian

So I took me leave of there

And I crossed the ocean in the "Arrianne"

The vilest tub afloat

And the captain's brother was a railroad man and he met us at the boat

So I joined up with the 20th Maine

Like I said my friend I'm a fighting man

And we're marchin' south in the pouring rain

And we're all goin' down to dixieland

I am Kilrain of the 20th Maine

And we fight for Chamberlain

'Cause he stood right with us

When the johnnies came like a banshee on the wind

When the smoke cleared out of Gettysburg many a mother wept

For many a good boy died there, sure

And the air smelted just like death

I am Kilrain of the 20th Maine

And I'd march to hell and back again

For colonel Joshua Chamberlain

We're all goin' down to dixieland

I am Kilrain of the 20th Maine

And I damn all gentlemen

Whose only worth is their father's name

And the sweat of a workin' man

Well we come from the farms

And the city streets and a hundred foreign lands

And we spilled our blood in the battle's heat

Now we're all Americans