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Thread #124040 Message #2737223
Posted By: Murray MacLeod
03-Oct-09 - 08:04 AM
Thread Name: Origin: I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier
Subject: Lyr Add: I DIDN'T RAISE MY BOY TO BE A SOLDIER
If you input "didn't raise my son to ba a soldier" into Google, the first hit comes up with this :
I DIDN'T RAISE MY BOY TO BE A SOLDIER
Laurence Vance, May 21, 2006
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Here is an anti-war song sent to me from a reader. He says that it was written and sung by the British in protest to that Empire's wars around the turn of the century. The song was revived for WWI. It then became "Americanized," and was used to protest the USA being engaged in the WWI.
Below is the British version of the lyrics. I have linked to an American version of the song with slightly different lyrics.
I didn't raise my son to be a soldier I brought him up to be my pride and joy Who dares to put a musket on his shoulder To shoot another mother's darling boy Why should he fight in someone else's quarrels It's time to throw the sword and gun away There would be no war today If the nations all would say No I didn't raise my son to be a soldier
I didn't raise my son to be a soldier To go fighting in some far-off foreign land He may get killed before he's any older For a cause that he will never understand Why should he fight another rich man's battle While they stay at home and while their time away Let those with most to lose Fight each other if they choose For I didn't raise my son to be a soldier
I didn't raise my son to be a soldier To go fighting heathens round the Horn If God required to prove that boys are bolder They'd have uniforms and guns when they were born Why should we have wars about religion When Jesus came to teach us not to kill Do Zulus and Hindoos Not have the right to choose For I didn't raise my son to be a soldier
I didn't raise my son to be a soldier I raised him up to be a gentleman To find a sweet young girl and love and hold her Bring me some grandchildren when they can Why can't we decide that the Empire Is just as large as it requires to be And I'd rather lose it all Than to see my laddie fall For I didn't raise my son to be a soldier