Please Forgive Us Lyrics - 10,000 Maniacs

Mercy, mercy, why didn't we hear it? 

Mercy, mercy, why did we read it 

Buried on the last page of our morning papers? 

The plan was drafted, drafted in secret 

Gunboats met the red tide 

Driven to the rum trade for the army that they created 

But the bullets were bought by us, it was dollars that paid them 

Please forgive us, we don't know what was done 

Please forgive us, we don't know what was done in our name 

There'll be more trials like this in mercenary hey days 

When they're so apt to wrap themselves up in the stripes and stars 

And find that they are able to call themselves heroes 

And to justify murder by their fighters for freedom 

Please forgive us, we don't know what was done 

Please forgive us, we didn't know 

Could you ever forgive us? I don't know how you could 

I know this is no consolation 

Please forgive us, we don't know what was done 

Please forgive us, we didn't know 

Could you ever believe that we didn't know? 

Please forgive us, we didn't know 

I wouldn't blame you if you never could 

Please forgive us, we didn't know 

I wouldn't blame you if you never could 

Please forgive us 

And you never will