Original | Versione cantata da Robin Hall e Jimmie McGregor |
THE RECRUITING SERGEANT | THE RECRUITING SERGEANT |
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As I was walking down the road, | As I was walking down the street |
A feeling fine and larky oh! | I was feeling light and larky O |
A recruiting Sergeant came up to me, | When a recruiting sergeant says to me, |
Says he "You'd look fine in khaki, oh!(1) | “You'd look fine in khaki O. |
For the King he is in need of men, | For the King he is in need of men, |
Come read this proclamation oh! | come read this proclamation O. |
A life in Flanders for you then, | And it's a life in Flanders for you then, |
Would be a fine vacation now." | 't will be a lovely vacation O.” |
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"That maybe so," says I to him, | So I looked the the sergeant then says I, |
"But tell me sergent Dearie-oh! | “Please 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! | would I look bright and cheerie O? |
For they'd have you train and drill until | For you'd make me drill and train until |
They had you one of Frenchies oh! | you'd had me like the Frenchies O, |
It maybe warm in Flanders, | Oh 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, | Then the sergeant raised his little cane |
His smile was most provoking oh! | and his smile was most provoking O, |
He twiddled and twirled his wee moustache, | And he twiddled and twirled his wee moustache, |
Says he, "I know you're only joking oh! | says he, “Surely you're joking O! |
For the sandbags are so warm and high, | For the sandbags they are lovely and high |
The wind you won't feel blowing oh!" | and the wind you'd never feel blowing O.” |
Well I winked at a colleen passing by, | But 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, | “O come wind, come rain, come hail, |
I'm not going out to Flanders oh! | come snow, we're not going out to Flanders O, |
There's fighting in Dublin to be done.(2) | For there's fighting in Dublin to be done, |
Let your Sergeants and Commanders go. | let your Captains and Commanders go. |
Let Englishmen fight English wars, | And let Englishmen for England fight |
It's nearly time they started oh! | and it's time that they get started O.” |
I salute the Sergeant a very good night!" | And I gave that Sergeant a jolly good night |
And there and then we parted oh! | and there and then we parted O. |
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(2) The "fighting in Dublin" refers to the Easter Rising of 1916.