| Original | La versione cantata da Dominic Behan / Doiminic Ó Beacháin |
| THE RECRUITING SERGEANT | THE RECRUITING SERGEANT |
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| As I was walking down the road, | As I was going down the road, |
| A feeling fine and larky oh! | feeling fine and larky O, |
| A recruiting Sergeant came up to me, | A recruiting sergeant says to me, |
| Says he "You'd look fine in khaki, oh!(1) | “Now you'd look fine in khaki O. |
| For the King he is in need of men, | The King he is in need of men, |
| Come read this proclamation oh! | come read his proclamation O. |
| A life in Flanders for you then, | A life in Flanders for you |
| Would be a fine vacation now." | then would be a fine vacation O.” |
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| "That maybe so," says I to him, | “That may be so,” says I to him, |
| "But tell me sergent Dearie-oh! | “but tell me sergeant dearie O, |
| If I had a pack stuck upon me back, | If I had a pack stuck upon me back, |
| Would I look fine and cheerie oh! | do you think I'd look fine and cheery O? |
| For they'd have you train and drill until | You'd make me train and drill until |
| They had you one of Frenchies oh! | they had me one of French's O. |
| It maybe warm in Flanders, | It may be warm in Flanders |
| But it's draughty in the trenches oh!" | but it's draughty in the trenches O.” |
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| The Sergeant smiled and winked his eye, | The sergeant smiled and winked his eye, |
| His smile was most provoking oh! | his smile was most provoking O. |
| He twiddled and twirled his wee moustache, | He twiddled and twirled his wee moustache, |
| Says he, "I know you're only joking oh! | says he, “You're only joking O! |
| For the sandbags are so warm and high, | For the sandbags are so warm and high, |
| The wind you won't feel blowing oh!" | the wind you won't feel blowing O.” |
| Well I winked at a colleen passing by, | Well I winked at a cailin passing by, |
| Says I, "What if it's snowing oh!" | says I, “What if it's snowing O? |
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| "Come rain or hail or wind or snow, | Come rain or hail or wind or snow, |
| I'm not going out to Flanders oh! | we're not going out to Flanders O. |
| There's fighting in Dublin to be done.(2) | There's fighting in Dublin to be done, |
| Let your Sergeants and Commanders go. | let your Sergeants and your Commanders go. |
| Let Englishmen fight English wars, | Let Englishmen for England fight, |
| It's nearly time they started oh! | 'tis just about time they started O.” |
| I salute the Sergeant a very good night!" | I wished the Sergeant a very good night |
| And there and then we parted oh! | and there and then departed O. |
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(2) The "fighting in Dublin" refers to the Easter Rising of 1916.