How Happy the Soldier
How happy the soldier who lives on his pay,
And spends half a crown out of sixpence a day;
Yet fears neither justices, warrants nor bums*
But pays all his debts with a roll of his drum!
cho: With a row de dow, row de dow, row de dow, dow
And he pays all his debts with a roll of his drum.
He cares not a marneday how the world goes,
His King finds his quarters and money and clothes.
He laughs at all sorrow whenever it comes,
And rattles away with a rol of his drum!
cho: With a row de dow, row de dow, row de dow, dow
And rattles away with a roll of his drum.
The drum is his glory, his joy, his delight
It leads him to pleasure as well as to fight;
No girl, when she hears it, though ever so glum
But packs up her tatters and follows the drum.
cho: With a row de dow, row de dow, row de dow, dow
But packs up her tatters and follows the drum.
*short for bumbailiffs; bailiffs used in arrests.
Note: a post-American-Revolutonary song, that comes from a comic
opera, "The Poor Soldier," 1783.
From Early American Songbook, Vinson
@soldier
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