'Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner' by songwriter Warren Zevon, is the fanciful tale of a Norwegian soldier of fortune who hires himself and his Thompson submachine gun out to fight the Bantu in the Congo War of 1966-67.

Warren William Zevon (1947-2003) was an American rock singer, songwriter, and musician. Zevon's most famous compositions include 'Werewolves of London', 'Lawyers, Guns and Money', and 'Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner'. All three songs are featured on his third album, 'Excitable Boy', the title track of which is also well-known.

In the song, Roland, "Norway's bravest son", is considered the best and the leader of his band of mercenaries. For reasons never explained to the listener, "the CIA decided they wanted Roland dead" and Roland is assassinated by one of his own comrades, Van Owen, who blows Roland's head off. From that day forth, Roland's headless ghost is seen searching the continent for his murderer in the dim light of the muzzle flash from his Thompson gun.

"Roland searched the continent for the man who'd done him in.

He found him in Mombasa in a barroom drinking gin.

Roland aimed his Thompson gun he didn't say a word,

But he blew Van Owen's body from there to Johannesburg."

As the song ends with his murder avenged, Roland, "The eternal Thompson gunner", still wanders the earth in search of a cause to fight.

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