Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^

Subject: Soldier, Soldier, Will You Marry Me (Hobart Smith)
From: GUEST,Roberto
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 11:38 AM

Another request: I'm looking for the text of a song as sung by Hobart Smith, titled "Soldier,soldier". Can somebody give me some information about that? Thank you. Roberto

---

Soldier, Soldier Will You Marry Me in the Digital Tradition

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier,soldier
From: Allan C.
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 11:43 AM

Roberto, there is a blue "search" box at the top of the page. You can find a whole bunch of songs by entering key words, such as "soldier" or by searching the alphabet.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier,soldier
From: Zebedee
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 11:44 AM

If you'd typed 'soldier soldier' in the Digitrad and Fomum Search box, you'd have found this

Ed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier,soldier
From: GUEST,Roberto
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 12:54 PM

Dear Albert and Zebedee, I thank you, but the Digitrad doesn't contain Hobart Smith's version, though Soldier,Soldier Will You merry me is similar to that. Roberto

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier,soldier
From: Zebedee
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 06:02 PM

Roberto,

I don't know the Hobart Smith version, is this version by Brass Monkey any closer to what you want?

Ed

Subject: Lyr Add: SOLDIER, SOLDIER ^^
From: raredance
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 07:04 PM

The Frank C Brown Collection of North Carolina Folkore has several rather similar variants.

A. Soldier Soldier won't you marry me
With your rifle, fife and drum?
How can I marry such a pretty little girl
If I have no shoes to put on?

Away she ran, as fast, as fast,
As fast as she could run,
And got a very nice pair of shoes.
Says, 'Soldier put them on.'

This version moves on to coat and hat and ends with:
Soldier soldier won't you marry me,
With your rifle fife and drum
How can I marry such a pretty little girl
When I have a wife at home?

Away she ran, as fast, as fast,
As fast as she could run.
And if you have a wife at home
I think I had better be gone.

Version C: goes through hat, boots coat, pants and ends with

How can I marry such a damn little bitch
And me got a wife at home?

Version E goes through coat, shoes, hat, pants, sword and a horse.

Version F has the series, shoes, socks, trousers, shirt, coat, collar, tie, hat, gloves.

rich r ^^

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier,soldier
From: sophocleese
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 12:06 AM

The version we learned as kids had the maid going up to her grandfather's chest to get everything. We very quickly added a last verse that went

So up she went to her grandfather's chest
And she brought out a gun of the very, very best
And she shot him in the head! ^^

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 04:15 PM

Peter Bellamy put the Kippling poem "Soldier Soldier" to music and a fine song it makes. The refrain is "Soldier, soldier , home from the wars..." I have the words if anyone is interested. Keith.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Haruo
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 06:20 PM

Go ahead, post 'em.

Liland

Subject: Lyr Add: SOLDIER, SOLDIER^^
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 06:57 PM

Excuse page breaks, or lack of.

Soldier, soldier home from the wars,
Why do you march without my true love?
Oh, we've just got off the ship,
And he's maybe give the slip,
But you'd better find a new true love.

Oh soldier, soldier home from the wars,
What did you see of my true love?
Oh, I saw him serve the queen,
In a suit of rifle green,
And you'd better find a new true love.

Oh soldier, soldier home from the wars,
What else did you see of my true love?
Oh, I seen him running by,
As the shots began to fly,
And you'd better find a new true love.

Oh soldier, soldier home from the wars,
Did aught harm come to my true love?
Well I could not see the fight,
For the smoke that hung so white,
But you'd better find a new true love.

Oh soldier, soldier home from the wars,
I'll go tend to my true love.
Well, he is laid among the dead,
With a bullet through his head.
And you'd better find a new true love.

Oh soldier, soldier home from the wars,
I'll lay down and die with my true love.
Well, the pit we dug will hide him,
And the 20 more beside him,
And you'd better find a new true love.

Oh soldier, soldier home from the wars,
Did you bring aught from my true love?
Yes, I brought the lock of hair,
That he always used to wear,
And you'd better find a new true love.

Oh soldier, soldier home from the wars,
Then it's true I've lost my true love.
And I'll tell you're true again,
When you've lost the feel of pain,
You should take me for your new true love.

New love, true love,
Take me for your new true love.
For the dead they cannot rise,
So you'd better dry your eyes,
And take me for your new true love.

This may differ from the original slightly; it's just how I sing it.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 25-Jul-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: The Walrus at work
Date: 18 Dec 00 - 08:56 AM

The original of the Kipling can be found at http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/kipling_ind.html

(sorry, I can't do blickies)

Regards

Walrus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 Dec 00 - 09:08 AM

This is probably the song I know the most versions of... Guest/Roberto, if you post some of the lyrics of your version, I might know the rest. I can think of at least 5 different ones, admittedly not all with the phrase Soldier Soldier in them...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Bill D
Date: 18 Dec 00 - 10:22 AM

Soldier, Soldier is such a cute theme that it was an easy one to re-write when the details were not remembered...so variations are everywhere...

Subject: Lyr Add: SOLDIER, SOLDIER (Rudyard Kipling)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Jul 02 - 08:23 PM

Copied from http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/kipling_ind.html

SOLDIER, SOLDIER (Rudyard Kipling)

"Soldier, soldier come from the wars,
Why don't you march with my true love?"
"We're fresh from off the ship an' 'e's maybe give the slip,
An' you'd best go look for a new love."
CHO: New love! True love!
Best go look for a new love,
The dead they cannot rise, an' you'd better dry your eyes,
An' you'd best go look for a new love.

"Soldier, soldier come from the wars,
What did you see o' my true love?"
"I seed 'im serve the Queen in a suit o' rifle-green,
An' you'd best go look for a new love." CHO.

"Soldier, soldier come from the wars,
Did ye see no more o' my true love?"
"I seed 'im runnin' by when the shots begun to fly --
But you'd best go look for a new love." CHO.

"Soldier, soldier come from the wars,
Did aught take 'arm to my true love?"
"I couldn't see the fight, for the smoke it lay so white --
An' you'd best go look for a new love." CHO.

"Soldier, soldier come from the wars,
I'll up an' tend to my true love!"
"'E's lying on the dead with a bullet through 'is 'ead,
An' you'd best go look for a new love." CHO.

"Soldier, soldier come from the wars,
I'll down an' die with my true love!"
"The pit we dug'll 'ide 'im an' the twenty men beside 'im --
An' you'd best go look for a new love." CHO.

"Soldier, soldier come from the wars,
Do you bring no sign from my true love?"
"I bring a lock of 'air that 'e allus used to wear,
An' you'd best go look for a new love." CHO.

"Soldier, soldier come from the wars,
O then I know it's true I've lost my true love!"
"An' I tell you truth again -- when you've lost the feel o' pain
You'd best take me for your true love."
CHO: True love! New love!
Best take 'im for a new love,
The dead they cannot rise, an' you'd better dry your eyes,
An' you'd best take 'im for your true love.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 25 Jul 02 - 09:16 PM

Martin Carthy got his version from an Irish singer (see Zebeedee's Brass Monkey link. Peg and Bobby Clancy (same family as Liam et al) also recorded a version. It would be interesting to see/hear the Hobart Smith version for contrast. I've a vague recollection of a bilingual version in Ireland, "A shaighdiúirín mo chroí, will you marry marry me?" -we'll need to look for the rest of that one!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jul 02 - 10:16 PM

an illustrated version of A Shaighdiúrín a chroí is at http://homepage.eircom.net/~stmolaga/fis/fis3.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 09:56 AM

I, personally, like the idea of Soldier, Soldier "Will You merry me" -

I have another version by Harry Belafonte. I'll post when I have more time.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 02:56 PM

"Soldier, soldier, marry me" supposedly came from England in colonial times (acc. to Contemplator), but there is nothing in the Bodleian. Ozark Folksongs by Vance Randolph, like the North Carolina Collection, has versions. Can't find the Hobart Smith recording. What album?
The request is two years old and "Roberto" may no longer be interested.- did Smith record it?

The first verse of Randolph's version A has these first lines (giving the soldier quite an incentive):

Soldier, soldier, marry me,
And have a house an' home.

In another version in Randolph, The singer asks for a man named Deitcher to marry her.

Philippa and Guest, do you have any history on this song? The source may be Irish rather than English.
Newell, 1883, Games and Songs of American Children, printed the song. English versions were noted in the Journal of the Folk-Song Society, 1914, (Randolph) but I don't have any texts or dates.

Subject: Lyr Add: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YOU MARRY ME
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 04:28 PM

Soldier, soldier, will you marry me, with your musket, fife and drum?
O how can I marry such a pretty girl as ye, when I've got no shoes/socks/pants to put on?
Off to the cobbler's/haberdasher's/tailor's she did go as fast as she could run
Bought him a pair, the best that were there, and the soldier put them on.
Now, soldier, soldier, will you marry me, with your musket, fife and drum?
O how can I marry such a pretty girl as ye... with a wife and a baby at home!

That's the version by Belafonte. Then there are 2 others, one by The Clancy Brothers, and one by either the Seldom Scene or the Country Gentlemen, very similar. Then there are 2 others, one by the Clancy Brothers and one by Planxty, which are the same idea but different from the above. I think this may be the song I know the most versions of.

The Clancy Brothers (1) one goes like this:
As I was a-walking and a-rambling one day
I spied a young couple so fondly did stray
One was a maiden, so sweet and so fair
And the other'n was a soldier and a brave volunteer
CHO: And they kissed so sweet and comforting as they clung to each other
They went arm in arm down the road like sister and brother
They went arm in arm down the road till they came to a spring
And they both sat down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing
(note: They say Stream but it rhymes less well, so I always sing Spring. Plus I always wondered about the sibling bit!)

Then out of his knapsack he drew a fine fiddle
And he played her such merry tunes as you ever did hear
And he played her such merry tunes that the valley did ring
Softly, cried the fair maid, hear the nightingale sing!

(CHO)

Well now, said the maiden, will you marry me?
O no says the soldier, however can that be?
For I've me own wife at home, in me own count-e-ry
And sure, she's the fairest little thing that you ever did see
(CHO)

And the similar one by The Country/Seldom Gentlemen/Scene:

One morning, one morning, one morning in May
I spied a young couple, they were making their way
One was a maiden, so bright and so fair
And the other was a soldier and a brave grenadier

They had not been standing but a minute or two
When out of his knapsack a fiddle he drew
The tune that he played made the valleys all ring
O hark! Cried the lady, hear the nightingale sing.

O maiden, fair maiden, 'tis time to give o'er
O no, kind soldier, please play one tune more
Then see the waters glide, hear the nightingale sing.

I'll go back to London and stay for a year
It's often I'll think of you, my little dear
If ever I return it'll be in the Spring
To see the waters glide, hear the nightingale sing.
O soldier, kind soldier, will you marry me?
O no, fair maiden, that never could be
I've a wife down in London, and children twice three
Two wives and the Army's too many for me.

I like that one's ending best - like he could be a bigamist if only he were a civilian!

I'll post the other 2 when I have more time.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 04:30 PM

OOps - the verse that I said went:

O no, kind soldier, please play one tune more
Then see the waters glide, hear the nightingale sing.

Actually goes:

O no, kind soldier, please play one tune more
I'd rather you fiddled the touch of one string
Then see the waters glide, hear the nightingale sing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 04:42 PM

Number 489 in the Roud Folk Song Index. The great majority of traditional examples listed at present are from the USA and Canada, with smaller numbers from Ireland, England and Scotland. Anne Gilchrist (Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, vol. 3, no. 2, 1937) considered that it was probably of Scottish origin, and quoted two Scottish versions, one English, and one from Virginia. The second Scottish example had the refrain With the row and the bow and the sound of the drum, of which similar forms also turn up in some Irish variants; it was sung to a form of the tune Flowers of Edinburgh.

It seems largely to have been found as a children's dialogue-song, and as such may not have appeared on broadsides at all, so its absence (along with a great many other songs!) from the Bodleian collection is probably not significant.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: nutty
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 06:28 PM

There is what may have been a very early version of the Nightingale song (circa 1700) here in the Bodliean. The Nightingale

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 07:20 PM

Roberto

What about "sailor, sailor" by Sid Kipper?

try here

Steve.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: GUEST,Steve
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 07:24 PM

Whoops,

the link is right, but it is rather a long thread. You want the message posted by Alan B on 05-Apr-99 - 02:25 PM

Hope this helps!

Steve.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 07:30 PM

By the way, the song Peg Clancy Powers and Bob Clancy recorded was not about sitting to hear the nightingale sing, but "Soldier, soldier, will you marry me now?, With a heigh, with a ho, with a sound of a drum..."

sorry, I don't know about origins. It sounds English, but the A Shaighdiúirín, a chroí version is intriguing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 08:33 PM

I should mention that Mrrzy posted while I was checking my references. The Bold Grenadier (and other titles), though a fine song, belongs to a completely different song group, and is not related to the subject of this thread.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 08:37 PM

Two songs for the price of one? "To Hear the Nightingale Sing," and "Soldier, Soldier, Will You Marry Me."

I guess no one has heard of the Hobart Smith version of "Soldier,....." but it would be a nice one to have.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 27 Jul 02 - 06:50 PM

Philippa, do you know which album the Clancy/Powers recording is on? I have worked out two possibilities, 'Irish Folk Airs' or 'Songs of Ireland', but my compilation doesn't give its sources.

Subject: Lyr Add: A SHAIGHDIÚIRÍN, A CHROÍ
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 07:17 AM

(see my previous messages)

A SHAIGHDIÚIRÍN, A CHROÍ

"A shaighdiúirín, a chroí, will you marry marry me?
Le haigh, nó le hó, nó le bualadh an drum."

"A chailín bhig mo chroí, conas a phósfainn-se thú
, Agus gan fiú na mbróg agam a chuirfinn orm?"

Ach chuaigh mé chuig an gréasaí ab fhearr a bhí ann,
Agus cheannaigh mise bróga do mo shaighdiúirín ann;
"`us, a shaighfiúirín a chroí, will you marry marry me?
Le haigh, nó le hó, nó le bualadh an drum."

"A chailín bhig mo chroí, conas a phósfainn-se thú,
Agus gan pioc den chóta `gam a chuirfinn orm?"

Ach chuaigh mé chuig an táilliúir ab fhearr a bhí ann,
Agus cheannaigh mise cóta do mo shaighdiúirín ann;
"`us, a shaighfiúirín a chroí, will you marry marry me?
Le haigh, nó le hó, nó le bualadh an drum."

"A chailín bhig mo chroí, conas a phósfainn-se thú,
Agus gan fiú an hata `gam a chuirfinn orm?"

Ach chuaigh mé chuig an siopa ab fhearr a bhí ann,
Agus cheannaigh mise hata do mo shaighdiúirín ann;
"A chailín bhig mo chroí, conas a phósfainn-se thú,
Agus bean agus clann ar a' taobh eile 'n sruth!"

As published in Mícheál Ó hEidhin, "Cas Amhrán". Indreabhán: Cló Iar-Chonnachta, 1997 (third edition, first published by1975, Cló Iar Chonachta edition 1990)

Rough translation:
My dear little soldier, will you marry me, with a hi with a ho or a beat of a drum?
My darling little girl, how can I marry you, and me with out even shoes to put on?
But I went to the best shoemaker there was and I bought shoes for my little soldier …
My darling little girl, how can I marry you, and me without even a hat to put on?
But I went to the best of shops and there I bought a hat for my little soldier…
Oh little girl of my heart, how can I marry you,
With my wife and children on the other side of the stream!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Peg
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 10:54 AM

I learned it as:

Oh Soldier, soldier won't you marry me,
with your musket, fife and drum?
Oh no, sweet maid, I cannot marry thee,
For I have no (coat, shows, etc.) to put on.
So up she went to her grandfather's chest
and she got him a (coat) of the very, very best
Yes, she got him a (coat) of the very, very best
and the soldier put it on.

Eventuually he says Oh, no sweet maid I cannot marry thee for I have a wife of my own!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Willa
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 12:19 PM

Sang Peg's version (which is the one I learnt at school)in four-part harmony with my local choir last week. We sang coat, shoes, hat, though I think at school we sang more verses.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Night Owl
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 12:38 PM

I learned a song as a "traditional" Appalachian song called "Soldier John". For SOME reason I thought it referred to the U.S. Civil War. The tune is very different, (faster)than a Ballad I USED to know with the lyrics in Mrzzy's last post (in which the last line of the chorus is repeated...or echoed). The only connection I can make with the two songs is that they both are asking a Soldier to wed. Feels to me like connecting two songs because they both mention the color green....bg

I'm wondering here if "Soldier,soldier".....is a third song or not. Going to the DT to play for a bit again.

Subject: Tune Add: A SHAIGHDIÚIRÍN, A CHROÍ / SOLDIER...
From: MMario
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 01:08 PM

X:1
T:A SHAIRGHDIURIN A CHROI / Soldier, soldier
N:prepared from photoscan received from Philippa
I:abc2nwc
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:G
z6zD|D G G G G2F G|A B c B A3F|A2A G F2F E|
D2D D D2zD|D G G G G2F/2 F/2 G|(A B) c B A2F G|
A2A G F F F E|D D2(D D3)|:D|d d d B c2c A|
B2B G A2A F|G G G G G B A G|F2D D D2D D|
D G G G G2F G|A B c B A3F|A2A G F2F E|D2D D D2z:|
w:"A shaigh-diúir-ín, a chroí, will you mar-ry mar-ry me? Le haigh, nó le hó, nó le
bual-adh an drum.""A chail-ín bhig mo chroí, con-as a phós_-fainn-se thú,A-gus
gan fiú na mbróg a-gam a chuir-finn orm?"_Ach chuaigh mé chuig an gréas-aí ab
fhearr a bhí ann,A-gus chean-naigh mi-se bróg-a do mo shaigh-diúir-ín ann;"`us, a
shaigh-fiúir-ín a chroí, will you mar-ry mar-ry me? Le haigh, nó le hó, nó le bual-adh an drum."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Night Owl
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 01:26 PM

answered my own questions looking through the DT. I've now got four different songs. Hope I didn't/don't add to the confusion here.

1. Didn't find "Soldier John" in the DT.

2. Found "Soldier, Soldier" and it's a different melody, but almost identical lyrics in the verses.

3. Found "Nightingale" - a different melody but similar lyrics to the ballad I learned.

4. I think "Brave Grenadier" is the name of the ballad but didn't find the right one in the DT.

So, now I have four different tunes mushing in my head!!

Subject: ZDTStudy: Soldier, Soldier, Will You Marry Me
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 01:45 PM

As far as I can see, we have only one version of this song in the Digital Tradition, and only this one thread. Are there others I missed? Since this thread contains all the information we have on the song, I'm going to tag it for DTStudy, although it won't be an edited DTStudy thread. Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on the song.
-Joe Offer-

---

Soldier, Soldier, Will You Marry Me

DESCRIPTION: The girl asks the soldier to marry her. He says that he lacks suit, shoes, whatnot. She runs off to the craftsmen and fetches him everything he mentions. Now well-equipped, he tells her that he already has a wife at home
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1903
KEYWORDS: courting lie request rejection soldier dialog
FOUND IN: US(Ap,MW,SE,So) Britain(England) Ireland
REFERENCES (8 citations):
Randolph 65, "Soldier, Soldier, Marry Me" (2 texts, 1 tune)
Eddy 89, "Soldier, Soldier, Won't You Marry Me" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
Scott-BoA, pp. 30-31, "Soldier, Soldier, Won't You Marry Me?" (1 text, 1 tune)
Kennedy 305, "Soldier, Soldier" (1 text, 1 tune)
LPound-ABS, 109, pp. 224-225, "Dutchman, Dutchman, Won't You Marry Me?" (1 text)
JHCox 159, "Soldier, Soldier, Won't You Marry Me?" (1 text)
Silber-FSWB, p. 344, "Soldier, Soldier, Won't You Marry Me" (1 text)
DT, SOLDMARR*
RECORDINGS:
Colin Keane, "Soldier, Soldier" (on Lomax42, LomaxCD1742)
Russ Pike, "Soldier, Won't You Marry Me?" (AFS, 1941; on LC02)
New Lost City Ramblers, "Soldier, Soldier, Will You Marry Me" (on NLCR10)
File: R065

---

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Instructions

The Ballad Index Copyright 2002 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

Subject: Lyr Add: SOLDIER, SOLDIER (from Clancy family)
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 05:25 PM

The wording of the different versions of this song doesn't vary all that much. For what it's worth, this is how I remember the song as sung by Bobby Clancy and Peg Clancy Power. I don't know in what order they listed the items of clothing. I'm not sure of the album title either; it was a Tradition album featuring the Carrick-on-Suir Clancy family (same family the Clancy Bros. of the professional group belonged to). Perhaps called The Lark in the Morning?

Like 'sophocleese', I also sometimes add a verse about the woman shooting the deceitful man, but I've never heard it that way!

SOLDIER, SOLDIER

Soldier, soldier, will you marry me now
With a heigh, with a ho, with a sound of a drum
Oh no, fair maid, I couldn't marry you;
Because I have no hat to put on

So she ran to the shop as fast as she could run
With a heigh, with a ho, with a sound of a drum
And she got him a hat of the very very best,
Saying, "Here, my small man put this on."

Soldier, soldier, will you marry me now
With a heigh, with a ho, with a sound of a drum
Oh no, fair maid, I couldn't marry you;
Because I have no shoes to put on

So she ran to the shop as fast as she could run
With a heigh, with a ho, with a sound of a drum
And she got him some shoes of the very very best,
Saying, "Here, my small man put this on."

Soldier, soldier, will you marry me now
With a heigh, with a ho, with a sound of a drum
Oh no, fair maid, I couldn't marry you;
Because I have no coat to put on

So she ran to the shop as fast as she could run
With a heigh, with a ho, with a sound of a drum
And she got him a coat of the very very best,
Saying, "Here, my small man put this on."

Soldier, soldier, will you marry me now
With a heigh, with a ho, with a sound of a drum
Oh no, fair maid, I couldn't marry you;
Because I have my own wife at home

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 04:14 AM

I was singing the song to myself this morning and found I sang "So off she went, just as fast as she could run" instead of "She ran to the shop as fast as she could run". Then if you say "she got him a coat [etc]" instead of "she bought ...", she could have begged, stole or borrowed the item too. I have also heard versions where "off she went to her grandfather's chest, and she got him a coat of the very, very best." I see that line appears in versions given by Peg and sophocleese.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 05:30 PM

My Dad, Balis W. Ritchie, born in Knott Co., KY, had a variant of this song. Starts thus:,

O Soldier, soldier, will you marry me
With your musket, fife and drum?
O how could I marry such a pretty girl as you
When I have no hat to put on?
Then away she ran to the hatmaker shop
As fast as she could run,
And she bought him a hat of the very best kind
And the soldier put it on

Has a nice swinging tune...you can almost hear the kettledrums rattling underneath it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 02:42 PM

Jean/KYTrad, would you please listen to this tune at the bottom of the lyrics where it says "click and play" and let us know if it is the same tune your dad knew: This one in the DT?

Thanks, very much,

kat

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Willa
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 03:21 PM

Kat, fwiw, that's not the tune I know, though I have heard it. The version I know, which may be the same as Kytrad's, is much more uptempo; a lively march tune, I'd say.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Willa
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 03:41 PM

This reference might be interesting:
'Professor Warren Hoffer, School of Music, Arizona State University, Tempe Arizona 85287 Email:[e-mail]
University Web Site:http://music.asu.edu/areas/voice.html
Home Page URL: http://www.public.asu.edu/~icwwh/
Anonymous Soldier, Soldier, won't you marry me? ( It's O the fife and drum! ) Allegro - G - 4 / 4 Traditional Appalachian Mountains Mezzo or alto / D4 - E5 Guitar Hargail / Early English Lute Songs I Pg. 22 of collection 0:20. 7 verses.'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 07:04 PM

No, that's not my father's tune. Pretty, though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 07:34 PM

Thanks, kytrad, very much, and to you, too, Willa!

Subject: Lyr Add: SOLDIER JOHN
From: Night Owl
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 11:13 PM

thanks for asking about the tune, kat. Wondering here if the tune I have for "Soldier John" is the same as kytrad's and/or Willa's for "Soldier, Soldier".

"SOLDIER JOHN" 1st verse and Chorus lyrics I learned are:

Soldier John, soldier John
Won't you marry me
How can I marry such a pretty little miss
When I've no shoes to wear

Chorus:
So up she jumped
And away she ran
Down to the market square
She bought the finest shoes you've seen
For Soldier John to wear.

(shoes, shirt, pants, coat, hat)

Last line of the song is:

"How can I marry such an ugly girl
With all these fine clothes on."

Subject: Tune Add: SOLDIER, SOLDIER
From: Willa
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 11:11 AM

Tune add: This is the abc for the tune I know.
X:1
T:SOLDIER, SOLDIER
M:4/4
K:G
L:1/4
Allegro (168)
B,DDF|G/F/G/A/BB/c/|dGBD|E2D2|B,DDF|G/F/G/A/BB/c/|dGAG/F/|G3B|ADDB/B/|AD/D/DB|AD/D/DB/B/|A/G/F/E/DB|AD/D/DB/B/|A/G/F/E/DA/A|BGcB/A/d2D2]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 09:21 PM

"Lazy John" is probably the source for the "Soldier John" song/game. It's I think a modernization of the Soldier song. We played that in school, acted it out, but it didn't come around there until about the 1940s, and as I remember it was in a school textbook (may be wrong, maybe the teacher just knew and taught it), and I don't remember any author/composer's name. It starts:

Lazy John, lazy John,
Will you marry me? Will you marry me?
How can I marry you? No hat to wear!

Up she jumped and away she ran,
Down to the market square,
There she bought a hat for
Lazy John to wear.

and it ends: With a wife and ten chidren at home! I like the ugly girl/fine clothes ending, too. It sounds as though the teacher encouraged the kids to make up their own endings...

Subject: RE: Saighdiúrín mo chroí
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 08:16 AM

Máire Ní Chathasadaigh sings "saighdiúirín mo chroí" along with an instrumental of the Blackbird dance tune on Live in the Highlandswith Chris Newman. The guitar and harp accompaniment and instrumental is delightful.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^
From: Mr Happy
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 01:34 PM

here's another version, from the kipper family

Oh, sailor, sailor, won't you marry me
With your smile so sunny Jim
Oh no nice girl I cannot marry you
For I have no teeth to put in
So off she went to her grandfather's glass
And fished out some teeth of the very highest class
And the sailor put them in

Oh, sailor, sailor, won't you marry me
With your rambling rolling gait
Oh no nice girl I cannot marry you
For I'm one leg short of a set
So off she went to her grandfather's table
And cut off a leg that was very, very stable
And the sailor screwed it in

Oh, sailor, sailor, won't you marry me
With your pigtail down your back
Oh no nice girl I cannot marry you
For it's hair on my head that I lack
So off she went to her grandfather's chest
And plucked him some hair of the very, very best
And the sailor stuck it on

Oh, sailor, sailor, won't you marry me
With your sparkling eyes so jocular
Oh no nice girl I cannot marry you
For you see I am strictly monocular
So off she went to the marbles her grandfather'd lost
And brought him a bullseye of the very, very best
And the sailor stuck it in

Oh, sailor, sailor, won't you marry me
With your great big marlin spike
Oh yes nice girl I'll surely marry you
For you're just the kind of thing that I like
So off they went to her grandfather's cradle
And there she discovered that
This seaman was quite able
And the sailor put it in