(circa 1940)
1.
I used to be a civvy, chum, as decent as can be;
I used to think a working lad had a man's right to be free;
And then one day they made a lousy soldier out of me
And told me I had got to save democracy.
Chorus
Oh, I was browned off, browned off, browned off as can be,
Browned off, browned off, an easy mark that's me;
But when the war is over and again I'm free,
There'll be no more ruddy soldiering for me
2.
They stuck me in a convict's suit, they made me cut me hair,
They took me civvy shoes away, they gave me another pair;
Instead of grub they gave me slush and plenty of fresh air,
And this was all to help to save democracy.
(Chorus).
3.
Now every day I'm on parade long before the dawn
And every day I curse the ruddy day that I was born;
For I am just a browned-off soldier, anyone can see,
They browned me off to help to save democracy.
(Chorus).
4.
The colonel kicks the major, then the major has a go,
He kicks the poor old captain, who then kicks the N.C.O.,
And as the kicks get harder the poor private, you can see,
Gets kicked to ruddy-hell to save democracy.
(Chorus).
I used to be a civvy, chum, as decent as can be;
I used to think a working lad had a man's right to be free;
And then one day they made a lousy soldier out of me
And told me I had got to save democracy.
Chorus
Oh, I was browned off, browned off, browned off as can be,
Browned off, browned off, an easy mark that's me;
But when the war is over and again I'm free,
There'll be no more ruddy soldiering for me
2.
They stuck me in a convict's suit, they made me cut me hair,
They took me civvy shoes away, they gave me another pair;
Instead of grub they gave me slush and plenty of fresh air,
And this was all to help to save democracy.
(Chorus).
3.
Now every day I'm on parade long before the dawn
And every day I curse the ruddy day that I was born;
For I am just a browned-off soldier, anyone can see,
They browned me off to help to save democracy.
(Chorus).
4.
The colonel kicks the major, then the major has a go,
He kicks the poor old captain, who then kicks the N.C.O.,
And as the kicks get harder the poor private, you can see,
Gets kicked to ruddy-hell to save democracy.
(Chorus).
Contributed by Riccardo Venturi
Potrebbe darsi che MacColl si sia qui ispirato a Stung Right di Joe Hill? I ritornelli mi sembramo parecchio simili...
Bernart Bartleby - 2014/4/23 - 21:04
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