Lyr Req: Soldier's Joy

Subject: Soldier's Joy
From: Tim
Date: 30 Apr 97 - 04:12 PM

Anyone have lyrics for the old fiddle tune Soldier's Joy? (I assume there may be more than one version.) Thanks.

Tim

Subject: Lyr Add: SOLDIER'S JOY
From: Barry Finn
Date: 30 Apr 97 - 05:23 PM

1. Twenty-five cents for whiskey, twenty-five cents for beer,
Twenty-five cents for morphine. Get me out of here.

CHORUS: I'm my momma's pride and joy. (3X)
Sing you a song called the soldier's joy.

2. Grasshopper sitting on a sweet potato vine. (3X)
Along come a chicken and he's say "You're mine."

3. I'm gonna get you there. Don't you want to go? (3X)
All for the soldier's joy.

4. Chicken in a bread pan scratching that dough.
Granny does your dog bite? No, child, no.
Daddy cut his pecker off a long time ago,
All for the soldier's joy.

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From:
Date: 01 May 97 - 02:30 PM

I just ran across a good version by Gid Tanner & the Skillet Lickers from the late 20's.

Bob S

Subject: Lyr Add: SOLDIER'S JOY (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: Gene Graham
Date: 01 May 97 - 06:09 PM

Perhaps this version penned by Jimmie Driftwood is the version you are looking for?

SOLDIER'S JOY
Lyrics by Jimmy Driftwood - Traditional Tune

Some continental soldiers on a bivouac
Were playing stud poker in a mountain shack;
But every vigilante threw down his hand
When the captain of the guard gave the sharp command:

CHORUS: Jimmy, get your fiddle out and rosin up the bow.
Johnny, tune your banjo up. We're gonna have a show.
Billy, pass the jug around to Corporal McCoy.
We're gonna have a tune called Soldier's Joy.

The girls in Boston are dancin' tonight.
The gall-derned Redcoats are holdin 'em tight.
When we get there, we will show them how,
But that ain't a-doin' us no good now.

There goes General Washington.
He's got his horse in a sweepin' run.
The barefooted boys are beggin' to fight,
And we're gonna cross the Delaware River tonight.

Old Burgoyne in the wilderness
Got his army in an awful mess.
The farmers got mad at the British and Huns
And captured ten thousand of the son of a guns.

John Paul Jones in an old tin can
Scoured the ocean like a fightin' man.
The British said, "Paul, are you ready to strike?"
And Paul said, "I'm just beginnin' to fight."

General Washington and Rochanbeau
Drinkin' their wine in the campfire's glow.
Big Dan Morgan came a-gallopin' in.
He said, "We got Cornwallis in the old cowpen."

Wake up, Buddy. Have you heard the news?
Grandma Britain's got a terrible bruise.
The Redcoats cried and cursed Yorktown
While the band played The World's Turned Upside Down.

A homemade fiddle and a mandolin,
An old banjo and a tambourine,
A Big DUN bully for the soldier boy,
Everybody loves to hear the Soldier's Joy.

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From: Dale Rose
Date: 01 May 97 - 06:52 PM

Well, now I consider the version by the Skillet Lickers to be the best, certainly the more traditional, but the Jimmy Driftwood version is great, too. By the way, Jimmy will be 90 years old this year. He still sings and plays at the Jimmy Driftwood Barn at the north edge of Mountain View, Arkansas. He doesn't make every show anymore, but if you are in this area on a Friday or a Sunday night, you just might hit it lucky. There aren't many of the fabulous old timers left anymore, so it is best to catch them while you can. Father's Day weekend should be good, I think they are planning something special.

Subject: Soldier's Joy
From:
Date: 03 May 97 - 11:08 AM

I'm looking for the lyrics to this diddy about the Revolutionary War. Part of it goes, "John Paul Jones in an old tin can, Scoured that ocean like a fightin' man. When the British asked 'Paul are you ready to strike?, Paul said 'Well, I'm just beginnin' to fight'. I'd appreciate any help.

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From:
Date: 04 May 97 - 03:46 PM

As a famous Civil War General is reported to have said:

Boys! ELEVATE them thar guns just a little lower!

To the previous SOLDIER'S JOY POST!

Subject: Soldier's Joy
From:
Date: 12 May 97 - 09:03 PM

Anybody know the original lyrics to the civil-war era song called "Soldier's Joy"?

It is currently played as a fiddle tune (i.e., all instrumental without lyrics).

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From: Dale Rose
Date: 20 May 97 - 02:49 PM

I just discovered that there is a RealAudio copy of the entire song by the Skillet Lickers at the County site. It is the seventh song down on this page. http://www.countysales.com/selected.htm The words they sing are similar, but not exactly as Barry listed above, with the verses he lists in 4,2,3,1 order.

Subject: Lyr Add: SOLDIER'S JOY
From:
Date: 27 May 97 - 06:30 PM

SOLDIER'S JOY

(Dance: Chase the Rabbit)

Well, you chase the rabbit and you chase the squirrel.
Chase that pretty girl round the world.
Then you load your gun and you aim it right,
Let's hurry up, boys; don't take all night.
Now you chase that possum and you chase that coon,
And you chase that great big old baboon.
Couple up two, Then you buckle up four
And circle to the left in the middle of the floor.

These are words and a dance to Soldier's Joy. I have never heard anyone sing it. Here are details for the dance:

With the lady in the lead, couple one passes through couple two and around the lady to the center of the set. Then, back through couple two and around the gent to the center of the set.

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From:
Date: 02 Jun 97 - 06:19 PM

The lyrics I know, seemingly way different from the ones you've posted, are:

I am my mother's darling boy I am my mother's darling boy I am my mother's darling boy Sing a little tune called Sodlier's Joy

[then for the B part:] Dance all night, sing all day Dance all night, sing all day Dance all night, sing all day That the soldier's joy, they say

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From: pb
Date: 08 Jun 97 - 11:18 PM

for what its worth I learned these 2 verses:

I am my mother's darling boy #3 Sing a little tune called Soldier's Joy

I am my mother's darling child #3 Haven't seen her in a long long while.

I like being able to sing out once in a while in a fiddle tune session even if the content isn't too deep...

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From: lli
Date: 17 Sep 97 - 03:07 PM

I heard a Skillet Lickers version where I believe he sings "I'm a-gonna get a drink, don't you wanna go" (3#).

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 17 Sep 97 - 04:23 PM

My grandad always called it "women in the barracks; or soldier's joy." I have worked with Jimmy Driftwood at the Museum of Appalachia on many occasions, Dale, and I agree that he is one of a rapidly diminishing group of the old-time entertainers.

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From:
Date: 17 Sep 97 - 05:35 PM

I believe this is the same tune that in Newfoundland is called John White, and if memory serves me from an old Figgy Duff LP, is there sung:

Did you see, did you see, did you see John White?/

Did you see, did you see, did you see John White?/

Did you see, did you see, did you see John White?/

He's gone around the harbour for to stay all night./

He' s gone around the harbour for to get a dozen beer,/

He's gone around the harbour and he won't be coming here,/

He's gone around the harbour for to make a cup of tea,/

If you sees him will you tell him that I wants he?

There might well be more verses but these are the ones that I remember.

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From: Bruce
Date: 18 Sep 97 - 12:21 PM

'Soldier's Joy' came out as a single sheet song with music, c 1760. Song commenced "When the shrill trumpet sounds on high" and becomes evermore worse. It is easy to see why it has been forgotten, and I think it should remain so.

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From:
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 09:53 AM

Am I thinking of the same "Soldier's Joy" here? The one that is usually played as a dance tune on the fiddle or dulcimer?

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From: Bruce
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 10:35 AM

Yes. This seems to be one tune that is known by the same title everywhere, and this the same one as for the song mentioned above.

Subject: Tune Add: SOLDIER'S JOY
From: Bruce
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 12:54 PM

"The Soldier's Joy", song and music, were reprinted in 'Vocal Music, or The Songster's Companion', c 1778.

Music only is in:
(1) 'A Collection of Newest and Best Reels and Minuets', By Joshua Campbell, Glasgow, 1778.
(2) 'A Collection of Scots Measures Hornpipes Jigs Allemands.' By Alexander McGlashan. Edinbr. c 1778
(3) 'A Selection of Scots, English, Irish and Foreign Airs', Vol. I, James Aird, Glasgow, c 1778.

Robert Burns' song to the tune commences "I am a Son of Mars who have been in many wars.

In ABC notation here is the tune from 'Vocal Music'

X:1 T:The Soldier's Joy Q:60 L:1/4 M:C| K:D (F/2G/2)|(A/2F/2) (D/2F/2) (A/2F/2 D/2E/2)|Ddd(c/2A/2)|(A/2F/2) (D/2F/2) (A/2F/2) (A/2F/2)|GEE(F/2G/2)|A/2F/2 (D/2F/2) (A/2F/2) (D/2F/2)|Ddd(f/2g/2)|(a/2f/2) (d/2f/2) (g/2e/2) (c/2e/2)|ddd||e|(f/2e/2) (f/2g/2) (f/2a/2) (g/2f/2)|(e/2d/2) (c/2d/2) (e/2f/2) (g/2e/2)|(f/2e/2) (f/2g/2) (f/2a/2) (g/2f/2)|(e/2d/2) (c/2B/2) AA|(f/2e/2) (f/2g/2) (f/2a/2) g/2f/2|(e/2d/2) (c/2d/2) (e/2f/2) (g/2e/2)|(a/2f/2) (d/2f/2) (g/2e/2) c/2e/2|ddd|]

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From:
Date: 20 Sep 97 - 02:06 AM

Well, I was just having trouble fitting the lyrics above with the tune I know to Soldier's Joy/John White. How can you sing so many words so fast and be understood? You'd have to be an auctioneer. The Soldier's Joy I know is a very fast tune.

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 07 Nov 97 - 07:11 PM

Two more:

I love somebody, yes I do,
I love somebody, yes I do,
I love somebody, yes I do,
I love somebody, but I won't tell who.

Jump down, turn around, Daddy shot a bear,
Jump down, turn around, Daddy shot a bear,
Jump down, turn around, Daddy shot a bear,
Shot him 'tween the eyes and he never touched a hair.

(I've been looking for more verses to this song. Thanks for starting the thread!)

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From:
Date: 17 Oct 98 - 05:40 PM

Refresh to replace new thread.

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From: BSeed
Date: 17 Oct 98 - 06:59 PM

Thanks for refreshing this, Tim. My song circle is going to freak when I come in with these words and the words to "Flowers of Edinburg." --seed

Oh, and Barbara--I remember the "love somebody" words from church camps as a kid, sure enough to a very simplified soldier's joy, without part B.

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From: KickyC
Date: 17 Oct 98 - 11:22 PM

I was in Boone, NC this summer at a Mountain Dulcimer workshop and we were lucky enough to have Jean Ritchie there performing for us. She said that when she was a young girl in the mountains, they would make up words to remember the fiddle tunes. She sang "Soldier's Joy" for us with the words she knew. They were "Love somebody yes I, do.(3x) Love somebody and it might be you. Part B was: Twice sixteen is thirty-two. (3x) That's the soldier's joy. At least that's what I can remember of it. Anyway, she was great. If you ever get to see her perform, don't miss it!

KickyC

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From: Dale Rose
Date: 18 Oct 98 - 12:04 AM

Earlier in the thread, and a good while ago, I posted something about the Skillet Lickers version (the same one mentioned by Bob S) from the late 20s. The words are pretty much as given by Barry, though not in exactly that order. Here is a direct link to the complete song in RA, compliments of County Sales.

Soldier's Joy

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From:
Date: 18 Oct 98 - 10:25 PM

There is also a fiddle tune called The Sandpoint, which seems to be a version of Soldier's Joy. It is on Topic LP of Cape Breton fiddling I picked up years ago. Anyone ever hear it? Although the similarity is obvious, the copious liner notes don't make any mention of it.

Subject: RE: Soldier's Joy
From: BSeed
Date: 19 Oct 98 - 01:07 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier's Joy
From: Mr Happy
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 09:06 AM

This is a popular tune, especially with fiddlers, at most seshes round our way.

This onehttp://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/cgi/abc/tuneget?F=MIDI&U=http://www.village-music-project.org.uk/abc/blkshw.abc&X=21&T=SOLDIERSJOYTH

Click on midi

I feel that some've the lyrics above maybe for another tune with the same name?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier's Joy
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 09:24 AM

A little BTW. In John Schlesinger's film of Hardy's Far from The Madding Crowd the folk adviser was the late great Isla Cameron — she sang a fine Dorset version of 'Bold Grenadier' in voiceover: perhaps the only wrong note was to have Bathsheba sing 'Bushes&Briars' at the shearing feast, rather than 'Allen Water' as in the book — a drawingroom songbook type ditty more suitable for the genteel Miss Everdene to respond to her workpeople's oral-and-broadside repertoire & Gabriel Oak's Dame Durden ('Humphrey with his flail'?) played on the flute.
Anyway the point I am working up to is - I wonder how many who saw the film will have recognised the dance tune played at Bathsheba's wedding to Sergeant Troy as the most appropriate "Soldier's Joy"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier's Joy
From: meself
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 10:16 AM

'Way back in '97, Tim Jacques gave the opening Figgy Duff lyric to Soldier's Joy as "Did you see, did you see, did you see John White?" - I recall that lyric as "Can you fiddle, can you fiddle, till you see John White?"

(As for the more elaborate lyrics - presumably the tempo would be slowed considerably for those).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier's Joy
From: Richie
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 09:29 PM

Someone asked what the first version was. This is from my web-site but was provided by Bruce Olson: Originally a single sheet song with music, c 1760. Copy of the single sheet song is in the British Library, London, catalogued by first line in British Union Catalog of Early Music, printed before 1800. The single sheet song issue has the title "The Soldier's Joy."

    When the shrill trumpet sounds on high,
    And wide the floating banners fly,
    When the fierce foe with dire alarms,
    Provoking, menaces to arms:
    When glittering swords and cannons play,
    And death in triumph guides the fray,
    The foe to slaughter and destroy:
    This is alone the soldier's joy.

Robert Burn's 1785 version is title "Son of Mars."

In the US old versions include "Love Somebody." Many versions use the similar but different melody, "My Love is But A Lassie Yet."

I've got a good collection of lyrics on my web-site: http://bluegrassmessengers.com.temp.realssl.com/soldiers-joy--version-4-robert-burns-1785.aspx

I've put several thousand pages on this year in my spare time (started the site in March 2009, revamped from old site) but have not proofed them yet.

Richie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier's Joy
From: GUEST,iancarterb
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 10:19 PM

The first verse I ever heard sung to Soldier's Joy was Billy Faier's, similar to a few others cited above:
"I am my Mama's darlin' child (3x)
"I cannot marry you, oh."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier's Joy
From: IamNoMan
Date: 17 Dec 14 - 01:32 PM

Here's another Burns song c1780 for Soldiers Joy. It scans well compared to some of the others here. I'm not gonna print it here sinces its from DigiTrad anyway:
IS THERE FOR HONEST POVERTY