Elton John

The Retreat

Elton John


They laid beneath the pine trees with their caps over their eyes
They were drunk with home and mama as they brushed away the flies
In an instant before the sunrise they had gunned the rebels down
As their flags were torn at half mast in the ruins of the town

There were white sails on the water for the crippled on the beach
There was a lack of ammunition so the cause was incomplete
When the bugle blew at breakfast and they knew their ships were in
Signs of grand assurance were carried on the wind

Take it home, take it low, take responsibilities
Came the message from the front
For the captains, captains quarters must retreat
Pack the compass, pack the tents, take the bunks

They just chalked it down in history but they kept their uniforms
They put their medals on the sideboards and they went back to their farms
For it was just a mere reminder that they stood beside the best
That God had saved the chosen few and the devil took the rest

On the planes above the rock face where the sculptured eagles swoop
There's a haunted yell for action among the spectres of his troops
It was silent on the coastline as the crazy angels danced

Eles deitaram abaixo dos pinheiros com seus bonés acima dos seus olhos
Eles estavam bêbados com casas e a mamãe,conforme eles espantavam as moscas
Num instante antes do nascer do sol eles tinham armado os rebeldes
Enquanto as suas bandeiras se rasgavam na metade do mastro nas ruínas da cidade

Havia velas brancas na água para os aleijados na praia
Havia um falta de munição então a causa estava incompleta
Quando uma corneta tocou no café da manhã e eles sabiam que seus navios estavam dentro
Sinais de grande certeza foram carregados ao vento

Leve-o para casa, leve-o pra baixo, aceite as responsabilidades
Veio a mensagem a partir da frente
Pois os capitães, capitães do alojamento devem se retirar
arrumem o compasso, arrumem as tendas, levem as beliches

Eles apenas riscaram isto na história mas eles guardaram seus uniformes
Eles colocaram suas medalhas nos aparadores e eles voltaram para suas fazendas
Pois era apenas um mero lembrete que eles permanecessem ao lado do melhor
Que Deus tinha salvo os poucos escolhidos e o diabo levou o resto

Nos aviões acima da face de rocha onde as águias esculpidas atacavam
Há um grito assombrado pela ação entre os espíritos das suas tropas
Estava silencioso no litoral enquanto os anjos loucos dançavam com o som das pisadas recuando do seu acampamento militar