Should I Ever Be A Soldier chords by Joe Hill

Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)

Verse 1:
      C#m       G#m     C#m  G#m
We're spending billions every year
    C#m       G#m E
For guns and ammunition
     F#m            E
"Our Army" and "Our Navy" dear
   F#m             G#m
To keep in good condition;
      C#m      G#m     C#m G#m
While millions live in misery
    C#m      B      E
And millions died before us
      F#m                E
Don't sing "My Country, 'tis of thee,"
    F#               B
But sing this little chorus

Chorus:
         E    A    E
Should I ever be a soldier
           A        B       E
'Neath the Red Flag I would fight;
           A          E
Should the gun I ever shoulder
        F#        B        F#
It's to crush the tyrant's might
         E       A   E
Join the army of the toilers
        B
Men and women fall in line
C#                        A
Wage slaves of the world! Arouse!
C#                   A
Do your duty for the cause
    B        E
For Land and Liberty


Verse 2:
    C#m    G#m     C#m      G#m
And many a maiden, pure and fair
    C#m      G#m       E
Her love and pride must offer
    F#m              E
On Mammon's altar in despair
   F#m               G#m
To fill the master's coffer
    C#m       G#m      C#m    G#m
The gold that pays the mighty fleet
     C#m    B        E
From tender youth he squeezes
      F#m             E
While brawny men must walk the street
     F#             B
And face the wintry breezes


Chorus:
   E    A    E
Should I ever be a soldier
           A        B       E
'Neath the Red Flag I would fight;
           A          E
Should the gun I ever shoulder
        F#        B        F#
It's to crush the tyrant's might
         E       A   E
Join the army of the toilers
        B
Men and women fall in line
C#                        A
Wage slaves of the world! Arouse!
C#                   A
Do your duty for the cause
    B        E
For Land and Liberty


Verse 3:
    C#m       G#m       C#m     G#m
Why do they mount their gatling gun
  C#m      G#m        E
A thousand miles from ocean
       F#m                E
Where hostile fleet could never run--
      F#m          G#m
Ain't that a funny notion?
   C#m       G#m      C#m    G#m
If you don't know the reason why
     C#m        B      E
Just strike for better wages
    F#m               E
And then, my friends--if you don't die--
       F#                 B
You'll sing this song for ages


Chorus:
   E    A    E
Should I ever be a soldier
           A        B       E
'Neath the Red Flag I would fight;
           A          E
Should the gun I ever shoulder
        F#        B        F#
It's to crush the tyrant's might
         E       A   E
Join the army of the toilers
        B
Men and women fall in line
C#                        A
Wage slaves of the world! Arouse!
C#                   A
Do your duty for the cause
    B        E
For Land and Liberty