Lyr Req: The Deserter (from Wiggy Smith)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Deserter variant
From: squeezy99
Date: 03 Oct 09 - 10:07 AM

Thanks for the replies.
I'll follow up on the links suggestions.
With regards to an accompaniment, I'm considering accompaniment on baritone English concertina.

Steve

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DESERTER (from Wiggy Smith)
From: Tradsinger
Date: 03 Oct 09 - 06:41 AM

The verse you quote is from the version of the Deserter sung by Gloucestershire traveller Wiggy Smith and available on the album "Band of Gold". See
http://www.mustrad.org.uk/records.htm and scroll down the page to Wiggy Smith. The words he sang are:

I was once young and foolish like many who is here
I've been fond of night rambling and I am fond of my beer.
Sure if I had my own home and my sweet liberty
I would do no more soldiering by land or by sea.

Sure, the first time I deserted, I thought myself free
I was quick-lie followed after and brought back by speed
I was quick-lie followed after and brought back by speed
And put in the Queen's guardroom
With heavy irons put on me.

You take off the heavy irons and you let him go free
For he'd make a bright soldier for his queen and countery
You take off the heavy irons and you let him go free
For he'd make a brave soldier for his king and countery.

And he sometimes repeated lines 3-4 of the first verse. Can't help with chords as to my ear it sounds best unaccompanied.

Tradsinger

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Deserter variant
From: GUEST,guest Bill Schultz
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 10:10 PM

Martin Carthy sings the variant referred to by the post. Check that wonderful database of his songs for the words.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Deserter variant
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 07:46 AM

Steve,
We got a garbled fragment of it from a Wexford Traveller.
I think it's called 'No More I'll Go Soldiering'.
For what it's worth

No More I'd Go Soldiering.        
Rec from Andy Cash

In the year '64 boys one morning in May
As I boarded for Queenstown to sail o'er the main.
It's many of young fellows take a warning by me
Take a friendly advice and a warning by me,
Oh if I had my own home and sweet liberty
No more I'd go soldiering by land or by sea.
         
Oh once in the army all trouble do gain
And a man could do well if he knew the right way.
Oh the black men and white men all trouble do gain
It's the first I'm going the bars every day.

When I was a young fellow and in my prime
I was fond of night rambling likewise of me beer.
But if' I had my own home and sweet liberty
It's no more I'd go soldiering by land or by sea.

Jim Carroll

Subject: Lyr Req: The Deserter variant
From: squeezy99
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 06:27 AM

Not sure if this was posted successfully earlier (it can be impossible to find things in the thread listings IMO).

Anyway, I'm looking for the rest of the words & music/chords for a variant of The Deserter which starts:

I was once young and foolish like many who is here
I've been fond of night rambling and I am fond of my beer
But if I had my own home and my sweet liberty
I would do no more soldiering by land or by sea.

Thanks
Steve