The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #28076   Message #3554631
Posted By: Reinhard
30-Aug-13 - 11:52 PM
Thread Name: Help: Twa Recruiting Sergeants - How old?
Subject: RE: Help: Twa Recruiting Sergeants - How old?
Greig & Duncan have these four versions of The Recruiting Sergeant:

A - 'Twas in That Year, sung by Alexander Robb (June 1906)

'Twas in that year Eighteen hundred and two
When a oor man did lose his cee,
When he hadna anither ane to fill up her sta',
We'll over the hills and far awa'.

We'll over the mountains, over the main
Thro' Gibraltar, France and Spain,
King Geordie commands and we maun obey -
We'll over the hills and far away.

B - Old Recruiting Soldier Song, sung by John Wight (November 1908)

A recruiting soldier came frae the Black Watch to the markets,
And ever as some troops for it he did catch,
And aye as he listed some forty and twa,
Come out o'er the hills and far awa.
    I over the mountains and over the main,
    Through Gibraltar, France, and Spain,
    Queen Victoria commands us by land and by sea,
    It's out over the hills and awa wi' me.

Now, ploughman lad, great is the danger you're in,
Your horse may scare and your owsen may rin,
The farmer will judge for to buy your penny fee,
So list, bonnie laddie, and come wi' me.

It'a awa wi' your tawties, your meal and your kale,
Your ill-syed sowens and stinkin' ale,
Your stinkin' whey and bread fired raw,
So list, bonnie laddie, and come awa.

Now, my lad, if you chance to get a bairn,
We'll soon rid your hand of that.
And you need not pay a farthing of the law,
So list, bonnie laddie, and come awa.

A reeky fire and a rinnin'-oot pan,
Three little weans and a wife for to ban,
Three beats o' the drum will rid you o' that a',
So list, bonnie laddie, and come awa.

C - sung by Miss Bell Robertson (1908)

Over the mountains and over the main,
Thro' Gibraltar, France, and Spain,
King George commands, we maun obey,
Over the hills and far away.

Fan ye hae thrashen strae enough
Ye maun gae oot and yoke the pleugh,
Your back and sides like to fa' in twa,
Ootower the hills and far awa'.

A reeky reeky house and a rinin-oot flan,
A girnin' geet and a wife to ban',
And that is toil above all care
Ootower the hills and toil nae mair.

Over the mountains and over the main,
Thro' Gibraltar, France, and Spain,
King George commands, we maun a' obey,
Ootover the hills and far away.

D - sung by Miss Annie Shirer

And we'll over the mountains, we'll over the main,
We'll thro Gibraltar, France, and Spain;
Queen Victoria commands, and we must obey,
So it's busk, bonnie laddie, and gang far away.

I wonder if Bell Robertson of version C is related to Jeannie Robertson.