Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)
The Zombies
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A butcher yes that was my trade But the king's shilling is now my fee A butcher I may as well have stayed For the slaughter that I see And the preacher in his pulpit Sermon: "Go and fight, do what is right" But he don't have to hear these guns And I'll bet he sleeps at night And I And I can't stop shaking My hands won't stop shaking My arms won't stop shaking My mind won't stop shaking I want to go home Please let me go home Go home And I have seen a friend of mine Hang on the wire Like some rag toy Then in the heat the flies come down And cover up the boy And the flies come down in Gommecourt, Thiepval, Mametz Wood, and French Verdun If the preacher he could see those flies Wouldn't preach for the sound of guns And I And I can't stop shaking My hands won't stop shaking My arms won't stop shaking My mind won't stop shaking I want to go home Please let me go home Go home
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.jpg/300px-The_Zombies_-_London_Palladium_-_Friday_29th_September_2017_ZombiesPall290917-22_(36760168814).jpg "The Zombies")
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10 facts about this song
Band’s Composition"Butcher’s Tale (Western Front 1914)" is a song by The Zombies, a British rock band, formed in 1961 mainly by Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone.
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Noteworthy AlbumThe song was featured in the "Odessey and Oracle" album, which was the second and final studio album by The Zombies and was released in 1968.
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Contrast in TuneIn contrast to the other songs on the album, "Butcher’s Tale (Western Front 1914)" is one of the only tracks that features a more acoustic and raw sound rather than the richly-orchestrated pop that dominates the record.
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Solo PerformanceUnlike most other songs by The Zombies, this one largely features a solo performance by Chris White, who is usually the band’s bassist and vocalist.
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Pacifist MessageThe song is a direct anti-war statement with dark and intense lyrics, presenting a scene of the harsh realities faced by a butcher-turned-soldier during World War I.
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Use of HarmoniumAn unusual aspect of "Butcher’s Tale (Western Front 1914)" is the primary use of a Harmonium, a pump organ, to provide the music’s main instrumental focus.
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Song's ThemesWhile the song is a clear anti-war anthem, it also touches upon themes of post-traumatic stress disorder and survivor's guilt, common among soldiers who returned from WWI.
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Unique Stylistically"Butcher’s Tale (Western Front 1914)" is much darker and less pop-oriented than most of The Zombies' other songs, setting it apart stylistically within their body of work.
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Success of the AlbumEven though "Odessey and Oracle" initially did not achieve much commercial success, it is now considered one of the greatest albums of all time, and "Butcher’s Tale (Western Front 1914)" stands out as one of its unique tracks.
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Limited Live PerformancesThe song was rarely played live by the band due to its bleak subject matter and the logistical difficulty of incorporating a harmonium into their stage setup. However, it has earned a cult following among diehard fans.
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Citation
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"Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914) Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/161966/The+Zombies/Butcher%27s+Tale+%28Western+Front+1914%29>.
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