The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #16153   Message #874315
Posted By: McGrath of Harlow
24-Jan-03 - 09:11 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Jingo Song / Macdermott's War Song
Subject: Lyr Add: JINGO SONG / MACDERMOTT'S WAR SONG
What with the current rush to war I thought it timely to revive this thread, and add the words of the song. The verses may be a bit out of date, but the general sentiment, especially of the chorus, seems to match pretty closely the rhetoric from the White House, with its echo in Downing Street providing a shrill descant:

JINGO SONG
The dogs of war are loose and the rugged Russian bear
All bent on blood and robbery has crawled out of his lair
It seems a thrashing now and then will never help to tame
That brute he's out upon the same old game.
The lion did his best to find him some excuse
To crawl back to his den again, all efforts were no use
He hungered for his victim, he's pleased when blood is shed
But let us hope his crimes may all
Recoil on his own head.
Chorus:
We don't want to fight but by jingo if we do
We've got the ships,we've got the men
And got the money too
We've fought the bear before
And while we're Britons true
The Russians shall not have Constantinople.


The misdeeds of the Turks have been spouted through all lands
But how about the Russians can they show spotless hands
They slaughtered well at Keever,in Siberia icy cold
How many subjects done to death we'll n'er perhaps be told.
They butchered the Circassians, man, woman yes and child
With cruelties their generals their murderous hours beguiled
And poor unhappy Poland. Their cruel yoke must bear
While prayers for freedom and revenge
Go up in to the air.
Chorus:
We don't want to fight but by jingo if we do
We've got the ships,we've got the men
And got the money too
We've fought the bear before
And while we're Britons true
The Russians shall not have Constantinople.


May he who began the quarrel soon have to bite the dust
The Turks should be thrise honoured for he has his quarrel just
Tis' said that countless thousands should die through cruel war
But let us hope most fervently not long it will be for.
Let them be warned old England, Is brave old England still
We've proved our might, we've claimed our right, and ever ever will
Should we have to draw the sword our way to victory we'll forge
With the battle cry of Britons, Old England and St George.

Chorus:
We don't want to fight but by jingo if we do
We've got the ships,we've got the men
And got the money too
We've fought the bear before
And while we're Britons true
The Russians shall not have Constantinople.

(Words taken from here.)