I sent that via message to Reiver 2.

Hang on and I'll psot the message here.

[PM] McGrath ADD: My husband's in Salonika^^ (4) Lyr Add: SALONIKA^^ 24 Jun 98

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Salonika

My husband's in Salonika I wonder if he's dead
I wonder if he knows he has a kid with a foxy head?
So right away, so right away
So right away Salonika, right away me soldier boy.


Now when the War is over what will the slackers do?
They'll be all around the soldiers for the loan of a bob or two.
So right away, so right away
So right away Salonika, right away me soldier boy.


Now when the War is over what will the soldiers do?
They'll be walking around with a leg and a half and the slackers they'll have two.
So right away, so right away
So right away Salonika, right away me soldier boy.


They taxed the pound of butter, they taxed our half-penny bun (pronounced; haypenny)
But still with all their taxes they can't beat the bloody Hun.
So right away, so right away
So right away Salonika, right away me soldier boy.


They taxed the Coliseum, they taxed St. Mary's Hall
Why don't they tax the Bobbies with their backs against the wall?
So right away, so right away
So right away Salonika, right away me soldier boy.


Now when the War is over what will the slackers do?
For every kid in America in Cork there will be two.


For they takes us out to Blarney and lays us on the grass
They puts us in the family way and leaves us on our ass.


So right away, so right away
So right away Salonika, right away me soldier boy.


There's lino in the parlour and in the kitchen too
There's a glass back chevonier that we got from Dicky Glue.


Now never marry a soldier, a sailor or a marine
But keep your eye on the Sinn Féin boy with his yellow, white and green.


So right away, so right away
So right away Salonika, right away me soldier boy.


During the Great War (WW1), the Munster Fusiliers fought a long and bloody battle against Turkish forces in Salonika, Greece. The wives of these fuisliers got "seperation" money from the British Army in addition to the soldiers pay. Men in Cork who "avoided" the war for political or other reasons became known as "slackers". This song is a "slagging match" or a ball hopping contest between a "slackers" wife and a "sepera", the wife of a Munster Fusilier.


Words, music and extra notes can be found in "Jimmy Crowley's Irish Song Book", published by The Mercier Press in 1986; ISBN 0 85342 773 9

Regards
Frank McGrath
Nenagh Singers Circle