Come all you airy bachelors and be advised by me:
I'd have you shun night-rambling likewise bad company.
I lived as happy as a prince while I lived in the North
And the first of my misfortunes was to list in the Light Horse.
It being on a certain Tuesday, to Galway I did go.
I met with a light officer which proved my overthrow:
I met with Sergeant Acheson in the market as I went down
Says he, “Young man, would you enlist and be a light dragoon?”
“Oh no, kind sir, a soldier's coat with me would not agree,
And neither would I bind myself out from my liberty.
I lived as happy as a prince, my mind does tell me so,
I'm straight away bound to Armagh town, my shuttle for to throw.”
“Oh, are you in a hurry? And are you going away?
Oh, won't you stop and listen to these words I'm going to say?
Do you live far off this place? The same I'd like to know
Your name, kind sir, if you'd be pleased, tell me before you go.”
“Oh, I am in a hurry, my dwelling is far off,
My house and habitation six miles below Armagh.
Charles Higgins is my name, and from Armagh town I came.
I ne'er intend to do a deed or yet deny my name.”
Says he, “Now, my friend Charley, perhaps you could do worse
Than to come away along with me and join in the Light Horse.”
Well, with all his kind persuasion with him I did agree
And I bid farewell to Armagh, boys, likewise to liberty.
So it's farewell, honoured father, and likewise mother too,
Farewell, loving sisters, sure I have no-one but you.
As I'm going down through Carlow town you all run in my mind,
And it is farewell to Armagh and the girl I left behind.
I'd have you shun night-rambling likewise bad company.
I lived as happy as a prince while I lived in the North
And the first of my misfortunes was to list in the Light Horse.
It being on a certain Tuesday, to Galway I did go.
I met with a light officer which proved my overthrow:
I met with Sergeant Acheson in the market as I went down
Says he, “Young man, would you enlist and be a light dragoon?”
“Oh no, kind sir, a soldier's coat with me would not agree,
And neither would I bind myself out from my liberty.
I lived as happy as a prince, my mind does tell me so,
I'm straight away bound to Armagh town, my shuttle for to throw.”
“Oh, are you in a hurry? And are you going away?
Oh, won't you stop and listen to these words I'm going to say?
Do you live far off this place? The same I'd like to know
Your name, kind sir, if you'd be pleased, tell me before you go.”
“Oh, I am in a hurry, my dwelling is far off,
My house and habitation six miles below Armagh.
Charles Higgins is my name, and from Armagh town I came.
I ne'er intend to do a deed or yet deny my name.”
Says he, “Now, my friend Charley, perhaps you could do worse
Than to come away along with me and join in the Light Horse.”
Well, with all his kind persuasion with him I did agree
And I bid farewell to Armagh, boys, likewise to liberty.
So it's farewell, honoured father, and likewise mother too,
Farewell, loving sisters, sure I have no-one but you.
As I'm going down through Carlow town you all run in my mind,
And it is farewell to Armagh and the girl I left behind.
envoyé par Bernart Bartleby - 3/1/2018 - 11:05
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Una ballata irlandese, un'anti-recruiting song, che sta al n. 3027 delle Bodleian Libraries e che è nota anche con il titolo alternativo de "The Black Horse"
L'interpretazione più nota è quella di Kevin Mitchell, musicista scozzese, nel suo "Free and Easy.
Irish Traditional Songs and Ballads", pubblicato nel 1977.
Testo trovato su Mainly Norfolk: English Folk and Other Good Music
Il soprannome "Black Horse" era quello dato al 7th (The Princess Royal's) Dragoon Guards, reggimento di cavalleria della British Army, quando a metà 700 fu posto sotto conduzione irlandese, integrato nel 4th Regiment of Horse, prendendo parte alla Guerra dei 7 Anni (1756-1763). Per questo penso che la canzone possa essere anche più vecchia delle date riportate sui fogli volanti delle Bodleian Libraries...