Arthur McBride
Anonymous
Original | Versione con parole differenti ma basata sulla stessa storia,... |
ARTHUR MCBRIDE | ARTHUR McBRIDE |
I once knew a fellow called Arthur McBride | I once had a brother called Arthur McBride |
And his pleasure was walking down by the seaside | And he and I wandered adown the seaside; |
A-walking, a-talking, a-viewing the tide | Our pleasure and pastime a-watchin' the tide, |
If the weather was pleasant and charming | And the weather was pleasant & charmin'. |
So gay and so gallant we went on a tramp | So gaily and gallant we went on a tramp, |
We met Sergeant Harper and Corporal Cramp | We met Sergeant Napier & Corp'ral Demant, |
And the bonnie little drummer who roused up the camp | 'And the neat little drummer that roused all the camp |
With his rowdedowdow in the morning | And beat row-de-dow-dow in the mornin'. |
What ho, my good fellows, the sergeant did cry | "Good morning, young fellows," the sergeant did cry |
The same to you, sergeant, we made to reply | "The same to you, sergeant," we made a reply. |
There was nothing more said and we made to pass by | Was nothing more spoken, we made to pass by |
All on that bright summer's morning | It was all on a Christmas Day mornin'. |
What ho, my good fellows, if you would enlist | "Come, come, my fine fellows, I pray you enlist |
Ten guineas in gold I would slap in your fist | Ten guineas in gold I will slap in your fist |
And a crown in the bargain to kick up the dust | And a crown in the bargain to kick up the dust |
And to drink the King's health in the morning | For to drink the king's health in the morning |
Oh no my good sergeant, we are not for sale | "Oh no, Mister Sergeant, we are not for sale |
Though we're fond of our country your bribes won't avail | We make no such bargain, your bribe won't avail. |
Though we're fond of our country we care not to sail | We're fond of our country, & care not to sail |
For we are the boys of the morning | Tho' your offers look pleasant & charmin'." |
If you would insult me without any word | "Ha, if you insult me without other words |
I swear by my king I would draw my broad sword | I swear by the devil we'll draw out our swords |
And I'd run through your body as strength me afford | And thrust thro' your bodies as strength us affords |
Ere you could breathe out the morning | And leave you to die without warnin'." |
We laid the little drummer as flat as a shoe | We beat the bold drummer as flat as his shoe |
We made a football of his rowdedowdoo | We made a football of his row-de-dow-do; |
The sergeant, the corporal, we knocked out the two | And the sergeant and corporal we knocked down the two |
For we were the boys of the morning | O, we were the boys in that mornin'. |
And as for the weapons that hung by their side | The two little weapons that hung at their side |
We flung them as far as we could in the tide | As we trotted away, we threw into the tide, |
And the devil go with you, says Arthur McBride | "And the devil be with you," said Arthur McBride |
For spoiling our walk in the morning. | "For delayin' our walk in the mornin." |