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England in Ribbons Lyrics by Chris Wood

Trespasser

2007

I am Grandfather Christmas; I've come in from the cold.
I've a story to sing to you that as new as it's old.
Such stars as I have called upon to play out their parts,
They'll dazzle your eyes; they'll quicken your hearts.
Here is rags and here's tatters; here is sweat and here's soot.
Here is England in ribbons from her head down to foot.
Here is one, two, three jolly boys all ready for a fight,
And the first that comes in is our bold Turkish knight.
I have come from the East, where the red dawn does break.
I'll stomp and I'll storm and I'll make your world shake.
I'll cut you to shreds; I'll swish and I'll swagger,
And I'll make you dance upon the very tip of my dagger.
Here is rags and here's tatters; here is sweat and here's soot.
Here is England in ribbons from her head down to foot.
Now our actors are cast in the furnace and forge,
And the next that comes in is out hero Saint George.
I have come from the West where the red sun does set.
Well met, bold Turkey; bold Turkey, well met.
I'll slit you; I'll slice you; we'll see the gore fly,
And I'll send you home in a calico pie.
Here is rags and here's tatters; here is sweat and here's soot.
Here is England in ribbons from her head down to foot.
Here is rattle and clatter; here's tumult and din.
Stand back; stand back and let battle begin.
In comes I, the bold slasher; I'm as brave as a bear.
I'll stop all their cutting and their strutting, I swear.
O, I'll bang both their heads with my hammer and tongs,
For I am the man who will right all their wrongs.
Here is rags and here's tatters, here is sweat and here's soot;
Here is England in ribbons from her head down to foot.
And bold slasher wades in, through the thin and the thick,
But he soon drops down wounded; he is cut to the grin.
Stand back, Saint George, and put down your blade,
For here on the ground lays the hero we've slayed.
He was caught in our crossfire; see what we've done:
We've killed our own brother beneath the evening sun.
Here is rags and here's tatters; here is sweat and here's soot.
Here is England in ribbons from her head down to foot.
Oh and is there a doctor in here to be found,
To cure our bold brother of his deadly wounds?
I am the physician and my name is Doctor Quack,
And if the life has gone out of him. I'll soon fetch it back.
I have potions; I've poisons; I've pills in great store,
But the fee for my services is ten pounds or more.
Here is rags and here's tatters; here is sweat and here's soot.
Here is England in ribbons from her head down to foot.
Oh, the doctor's been paid; his bottle is poised.
Now let's have some shush; hold your breath make no noise.
Three drops to his head, three drops to his heart.
Now rise up, bold slasher, and play out your part.
He stares; he rises; oh, see how he stands.
He's a front-parlour miracle; he's the best in all the land.
Here is rags and here's tatters; here is sweat and here's soot.
Here is England in ribbons from her head down to foot.
Oh and tell us, bold slasher, now where have you been?
And tell us, bold slasher, now what have you seen?
I spun once around, like the moon across the field.
I've dipped into dust and my wounds were all healed.
I have waned, I've waxed and I've danced free of death;
So that all here might sing of me as long as you've breath.
Here is rags and here's tatters; here is sweat and here's soot.
Here is England in ribbons from her head down to foot.
Oh and if we all live to see another new year,
Perhaps we might call and see who does live here.
Credits
Chris Wood

Chris Wood

About “England in Ribbons” by Chris Wood

Read the complete lyrics to "England in Ribbons" by Chris Wood from the album "Trespasser" in 2007. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Aa (Check Description), Acoustic.

"England in Ribbons" is performed by Chris Wood. from the album "Trespasser" in 2007 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "England in Ribbons", explore more songs by Chris Wood using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"England in Ribbons" is credited to Chris Wood. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"England in Ribbons" appears on "Trespasser" in 2007.

Visit the Chris Wood artist page at /artist/chris-wood for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.