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Universal Soldier Lyrics by Donovan

Fairytale

1965

[Verse 1]
He's five foot-two, and he's six feet-four
He fights with missiles and with spears
He's all of thirty-one
And he's only seventeen
He's been a soldier for a thousand years

[Verse 2]
He's a Catholic, a Hindu, an atheist, a Jain
A Buddhist and a Baptist and a Jew
And he knows he shouldn't kill
And he knows he always will
Kill you for me, my friend, and me for you

[Verse 3]
And he's fighting for Canada, he's fighting for France
He's fighting for the USA
And he's fighting for the Russians
And he's fighting for Japan
And he thinks we'll put an end to war this way

[Verse 4]
And he's fighting for democracy, he's fighting for the reds
He says it's for the peace of us all
He's the one who must decide
Who's to live and who's to die
And he never sees the writing on the wall

[Verse 5]
But without him how would Hitler have condemned him at Libau?
Without him Caesar would have stood alone
He's the one who gives his body
As a weapon of the war
And without him all this killin' can't go on

[Verse 6]
He's the universal soldier, and he really is to blame
His orders come from far away no more
They come from here and there and you and me
And brothers can't you see
This is not the way we put the end to war?
Credits
Donovan

Donovan

About “Universal Soldier” by Donovan

Read the complete lyrics to "Universal Soldier" by Donovan from the album "Fairytale" in 1965. 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 Pop, Folk, UK Pop.

"Universal Soldier" is performed by Donovan. from the album "Fairytale" in 1965 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 "Universal Soldier", explore more songs by Donovan 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.

View all songs and biography for Donovan · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Universal Soldier" is credited to Donovan. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Universal Soldier" appears on "Fairytale" in 1965.

Visit the Donovan artist page at /artist/donovan for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

Appearances
A Well Known Has-Been
A Funny Man (Pied Piper version)
A Sunny Day
A Working Man
A Funny Man
A Soldier’s Dream
Age Of Treason
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