One day in school my brother did see
An advert that said come join the Army
Wanted boy soldiers you could learn a trade
He decided to join up for the job was well paid !
The very next day his mama he told
But son she said: "You're only fifteen years old
Did you no think to listen to your father afore
He fought in the war; this you could ignore?" she said
It's over the mountains and over the seas
Through to Ireland and to Germany
With a thumping in her heart and a tear was in her ee
"Oh my bonnie laddie, how can you do this to me?",
"Oh my bonnie laddie, how can you do this to me?"
Now mama she sat down and made this decree
"Do you think I've wasted all of those years?
A scrapin' and a savin' just to see you go off
Sit yourself down and use your loaf"
But when the two sergeants, they came the next day
Mama did plead and I heard her say:
"You're making a mistake in joining this corps
Oh son don't go" but he went out the door - she said
It's over the mountains and over the sea
Through to Ireland and to Germany
With a thumping in her heart and a tear was in her ee
"Oh my bonnie laddie, how can you do this to me?",
"Oh my bonnie laddie, how can you do this to me?"
For nearly six months my mama she cried
A knock at the door and up she leapt
It was the two sergeants, they said: "It's about your son,
He died from the bullet of a sniper's gun...".
An advert that said come join the Army
Wanted boy soldiers you could learn a trade
He decided to join up for the job was well paid !
The very next day his mama he told
But son she said: "You're only fifteen years old
Did you no think to listen to your father afore
He fought in the war; this you could ignore?" she said
It's over the mountains and over the seas
Through to Ireland and to Germany
With a thumping in her heart and a tear was in her ee
"Oh my bonnie laddie, how can you do this to me?",
"Oh my bonnie laddie, how can you do this to me?"
Now mama she sat down and made this decree
"Do you think I've wasted all of those years?
A scrapin' and a savin' just to see you go off
Sit yourself down and use your loaf"
But when the two sergeants, they came the next day
Mama did plead and I heard her say:
"You're making a mistake in joining this corps
Oh son don't go" but he went out the door - she said
It's over the mountains and over the sea
Through to Ireland and to Germany
With a thumping in her heart and a tear was in her ee
"Oh my bonnie laddie, how can you do this to me?",
"Oh my bonnie laddie, how can you do this to me?"
For nearly six months my mama she cried
A knock at the door and up she leapt
It was the two sergeants, they said: "It's about your son,
He died from the bullet of a sniper's gun...".
Contributed by giorgio - 2012/5/6 - 18:16
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Lyrics & Music by Alan Dickson
Album: Victims
'This is a modern version of the old Scottish ballad "The Twa Recruitin' Sergeants"
The song is partly based on events which happened to members of my family. Still we see young soldiers close to home being killed as the Iraq war illustrates.." (Alan)