"John Fyfe is a Scottish singer-songwriter based in Haddington. His song, War Wives, 'mainly comes from my memories as a wee lad brought up during the Second World War, when four of my uncles served in various branches of the armed forces, with only two coming home. Sixty years later, war wives still suffer.' Vocals and pipes by Davie Robertson."
War wives, war wives, hae seen it a'
Nae matter hoo, thon dice did fa'
The war, it sent their men awa'
An' left them hame alane.
Wee bairnies, roun' aboot their knee!
Wi' nae man there, for company,
Nuthin' much, tae gie them glee,
Aye! Lonely, pui war wives.
War wives, war wives, thon dye was cast!
The eldest son, he grew up fast!
Tae him, thon baton, it was passed!
Noo heid o' faimily!
His childhood, it was just a flash!
He haud tae graft! Ta earn some cash!
Tae school! Then work! He aye would dash!
For sake o' the war wife!
War wives, war wives, their days seemed long!
Though fine they kent, they must stay strong!
Sae telt the family, nuthin' wrong!
'Salt o' the earth' war wives!
But as the bairns slept in their beds,
Many a tear at night they shed!
Were their guid men, alive or dead?
Wondered a' war wives.
War wives, war wives, at church did pray!
The meenester, he would lead the way!
'God's on oor side' he aye would say!
Tae reassure, war wives,
Sae often, wi'ower many dead,
Home visits he did ayeways dread!
The Bible, then, it would be read!
Tae comfort, oor war wives.
War wives, war wives, their trial was o'er
The men on way frae foreign shore,
Soon they'd be walkin' through the door
Tae airms o'their war wives!
But ithers on sae long a list!
By freens an' families, they'd be missed.
Land o'the leal! They'd keep their tryst!
At last! Wi'their war wives.
War wives, war wives, ootlive their men,
Sae find themsel's alane again!
Aince mair tae suffer bloody pain!
Would a' the widae wives,
Then upwards look, at bright blue sky,
Tae gie oot! Such an earnest cry!
War! War! War! God! Why? Why? Why?
Question, oor war wives!
War wives, war wives, hae seen it a'
Nae matter hoo, thon dice did fa'
The war, it sent their men awa'
An' left them hame alane.
For a 'war wives' wher'er they be!
Nae matter hoo, thon dice did fa'
The war, it sent their men awa'
An' left them hame alane.
Wee bairnies, roun' aboot their knee!
Wi' nae man there, for company,
Nuthin' much, tae gie them glee,
Aye! Lonely, pui war wives.
War wives, war wives, thon dye was cast!
The eldest son, he grew up fast!
Tae him, thon baton, it was passed!
Noo heid o' faimily!
His childhood, it was just a flash!
He haud tae graft! Ta earn some cash!
Tae school! Then work! He aye would dash!
For sake o' the war wife!
War wives, war wives, their days seemed long!
Though fine they kent, they must stay strong!
Sae telt the family, nuthin' wrong!
'Salt o' the earth' war wives!
But as the bairns slept in their beds,
Many a tear at night they shed!
Were their guid men, alive or dead?
Wondered a' war wives.
War wives, war wives, at church did pray!
The meenester, he would lead the way!
'God's on oor side' he aye would say!
Tae reassure, war wives,
Sae often, wi'ower many dead,
Home visits he did ayeways dread!
The Bible, then, it would be read!
Tae comfort, oor war wives.
War wives, war wives, their trial was o'er
The men on way frae foreign shore,
Soon they'd be walkin' through the door
Tae airms o'their war wives!
But ithers on sae long a list!
By freens an' families, they'd be missed.
Land o'the leal! They'd keep their tryst!
At last! Wi'their war wives.
War wives, war wives, ootlive their men,
Sae find themsel's alane again!
Aince mair tae suffer bloody pain!
Would a' the widae wives,
Then upwards look, at bright blue sky,
Tae gie oot! Such an earnest cry!
War! War! War! God! Why? Why? Why?
Question, oor war wives!
War wives, war wives, hae seen it a'
Nae matter hoo, thon dice did fa'
The war, it sent their men awa'
An' left them hame alane.
For a 'war wives' wher'er they be!
Contributed by Riccardo Venturi - 2007/3/11 - 20:01
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