Originale | La versione cantata da Dominic Behan / Doiminic Ó Beacháin |
THE RECRUITING SERGEANT | THE RECRUITING SERGEANT |
| |
As I was walking down the road, | As I was going down the road, |
A feeling fine and larky oh! | feeling fine and larky O, |
A recruiting Sergeant came up to me, | A recruiting sergeant says to me, |
Says he "You'd look fine in khaki, oh!(1) | “Now you'd look fine in khaki O. |
For the King he is in need of men, | The King he is in need of men, |
Come read this proclamation oh! | come read his proclamation O. |
A life in Flanders for you then, | A life in Flanders for you |
Would be a fine vacation now." | then would be a fine vacation O.” |
| |
"That maybe so," says I to him, | “That may be so,” says I to him, |
"But tell me sergent Dearie-oh! | “but 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! | do you think I'd look fine and cheery O? |
For they'd have you train and drill until | You'd make me train and drill until |
They had you one of Frenchies oh! | they had me one of French's O. |
It maybe warm in Flanders, | It may be warm in Flanders |
But it's draughty in the trenches oh!" | but it's draughty in the trenches O.” |
| |
The Sergeant smiled and winked his eye, | The sergeant smiled and winked his eye, |
His smile was most provoking oh! | his smile was most provoking O. |
He twiddled and twirled his wee moustache, | He twiddled and twirled his wee moustache, |
Says he, "I know you're only joking oh! | says he, “You're only joking O! |
For the sandbags are so warm and high, | For the sandbags are so warm and high, |
The wind you won't feel blowing oh!" | the wind you won't feel blowing O.” |
Well I winked at a colleen passing by, | Well I winked at a cailin passing by, |
Says I, "What if it's snowing oh!" | says I, “What if it's snowing O? |
| |
"Come rain or hail or wind or snow, | Come rain or hail or wind or snow, |
I'm not going out to Flanders oh! | we're not going out to Flanders O. |
There's fighting in Dublin to be done.(2) | There's fighting in Dublin to be done, |
Let your Sergeants and Commanders go. | let your Sergeants and your Commanders go. |
Let Englishmen fight English wars, | Let Englishmen for England fight, |
It's nearly time they started oh! | 'tis just about time they started O.” |
I salute the Sergeant a very good night!" | I wished the Sergeant a very good night |
And there and then we parted oh! | and there and then departed O. |
| |
| |
(2) The "fighting in Dublin" refers to the Easter Rising of 1916.