During my trip through the UK, I sang this one nearly every place I visited. It seemed to fit the mood quite often, as the First World War is very much in people's minds these days. I'll give below the current version, as it developed after various Mudcat comments, in case any one else might see fit to sing it in these times of commemoration.


OUR SON JACK
This is a song about the First World War. It tells the story of the Kipling family: Rudyard Kipling, his wife and their son.

words: Mysha: Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg;
music: traditional: My Boy Willie (YouTube)

The summer had been good to all
When from the army came the call
Our Jack was proud to serve his king
And he would be back before the end of spring.

So their darling son marched off to war
Of what happened then they heard no more
No message Jack to them did send
And it took a long time for the war to end.

But when the fighting was finally done
In vain they waited for their son
And of the soldiers who homeward came
Those few that would speak, didn't know his name.

They went to hospital and grave
Clinging to their hope that their boy had been saved
And every soldier, they enquired to:
Did our dear boy Jack fight 'longside of you?

Then finally a man spoke out:
Your dear boy Jack has done you proud
Though he was wounded, he would not rest
Till a deadly blow caught him in the chest.

Oh Darling, now hear what I've done
The army would not have our son
But they let him march, because of what I said
It is for my words, that our Jack is dead.

                                                                Mysha