[Verse 1] They came in from the borders Maps spread on their knees Talking of their orders Talking like they pleased Big coats Iron emblems Cheap courage in their cups Never thought to ask the old ones How winter bites and cuts [Chorus] Let them freeze in their shining trucks Steel on skin in the hard night air Winter took the badge from them Left their pride lying frozen there You can march on a hungry people You can swagger and you can sneer But you’ll find Like the tyrants before Winter’s the only law here [Verse 2] They laughed about the stories Of armies brought to ground “How can snow defeat us? We’ve guns and endless rounds” But the diesel turned to jelly And the wind cut through their flags While the kids played hurling sideways Through the drifts round stranded cabs [Chorus] Let them freeze in their shining trucks Steel on skin in the hard night air Winter took the badge from them Left their pride lying frozen there You can march on a stubborn people Call it order Call it fear But you’ll learn Like the madmen before Winter’s the only law here [Bridge] Old men at the turf fire Smiled soft Then shook their heads “We’ve seen this kind of uniform We’ve counted this kind of dead They all make the same old error Same cold Cursed mistake They think steel is stronger than weather They forget what a blizzard can take” (hey!) [Chorus] Let them freeze in their shining trucks Steel on skin in the hard night air Winter took the badge from them Left their pride lying frozen there You can come like an iron thunder You can stamp and you can jeer But you’ll kneel Like the tyrants before Winter’s the only law here
