Sergeant Mackenzie from 'We Were Soldiers'?

Subject: Irish Song in 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: GUEST,Beth
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 09:45 AM

I just saw the new Mel Gibson movie "We Were Soldiers" and was intrigued by the Irish sounding song sung during the battle. Does anyone know where I can find the words, tune, etc.? I thought that it must be "Garry Owen" but I couldn't find any lyrics that matched, nor do I know the tune! Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Beth

Subject: RE: Irish Song in 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: Paddy Plastique
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 10:14 AM

Here's lyrics usually sung to GARRYOWEN from the DT : DT Version
Is this the one from the film ??

Subject: RE: Irish Song in 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: IanC
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 10:17 AM

Beth

Not being a bloke's name, Garryowen is all one word.

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: RE: Irish Song in 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: GUEST,me
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 11:11 AM

the song is called 'Sgt. MacKenzie' look it up on wikipeadia

Subject: RE: Irish Song in 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 08:23 PM

As guest me says the song is "Sergeant MacKenzie" by "Clann An Drumma" (Children of the Drum) and I believe was written by Joe Kilna MacKenzie. I think it was about one of his relatives during killed World War 2.

www.clannandrumma.com

I have the words on paper if you can't find them on the net.

CC

Subject: RE: Irish Song in 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 08:29 PM

Sergeant Mackenzie
(Joe Kilna MacKenzie)

Scots Tongue

Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun
Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid

Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

Ains a year say a prayer faur me
Close yir een an remember me

Nair mair shall a see the sun
For a fell tae a Germans gun

Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun
Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

English Translation

Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone

When they come I will stand my ground
Stand my ground I'll not be afraid

Thoughts of home take away my fear
Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears

Once a year say a prayer for me
Close your eyes and remember me

Never more shall I see the sun
For I fell to a Germans gun

Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone

Where before many more have gone

CC

(And it was world war 1 not 2 the story is on the website)

Subject: RE: Irish Song in 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: Maryrrf
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 08:30 PM

Here's a link with the lyrics and story behind the song http://www.clannandrumma.com/clan/the_band/sgt.aspx

Subject: RE: Irish Song in 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: GUEST,9 Feb 2015
Date: 22 Feb 15 - 02:09 AM

It's Scottish...not irish

Subject: RE: Irish Song in 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: GUEST,# (10 Feb 2015)
Date: 22 Feb 15 - 02:10 AM

Posted with lyrics on YouTube. And yes, it's Scottish!

Would someone please correct the title of this thread? Thank you.

Subject: RE: Irish Song in 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: GUEST,Thompson (10 Feb 2015)
Date: 22 Feb 15 - 02:11 AM

Heh, scarcely an "English translation" - it's more a question of singing in a Scottish accent!

Subject: RE: Irish Song in 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: GUEST,Phil (10 Feb 2015)
Date: 22 Feb 15 - 02:12 AM

I think the song was first released on Clann An Drumma's self published CDr "Tried And True" (2000) and maybe every other album after until Joe passed a few years back. Written to honour the memory of his great grandfather, Charles Stuart MacKenzie, who died in World War I.

It's also part of the score of "End of Watch" (2012) but didn't make it to the soundtrack release.

Subject: RE: Sergeant Mackenzie from 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Oct 17 - 06:30 PM

Scottish accents and song,great film but whats this song about

Subject: RE: Sergeant Mackenzie from 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: Lighter
Date: 13 Oct 17 - 09:16 AM

Sergeant Mackenzie is resigned to being buries in the cold ground because he feels sure he's soon going to be killed by the Germans.

"Many more" have met the same fate. Why not him?

But he promises himself to stand his ground and not be afraid. When he thinks of his home (and, obviously, family) he loses his fear. The sweat and blood on his face hide his tears: nobody can see he's weeping silently.

He expects to die before the sun rises. He tells us to say a prayer and remember him once a year.

And that's about it, except that a "German gun" is statistically more likely to be an artillery piece firing impersonally at long distance than a rifle carried by a German soldier.

Subject: RE: Sergeant Mackenzie from 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 14 Oct 17 - 11:40 AM

I am reminded of a game we used to play in the 80's, with Leonard Maltin's book on movies, where we would pick a common word and then read the sequence of movie titles beginning with that word. One such sequence was They Were Sisters, They Were Soldiers, They Were So Young. Anyway. Sorry, but thanks for the memory.

Subject: RE: Sergeant Mackenzie from 'We Were Soldiers'?
From: GUEST,Charlie
Date: 19 Nov 21 - 08:35 AM

Just to clarify, according to the after-action reports, Sergeant MacKenzie was killed by a German bayonet during hand-to-hand trench combat while defending a badly wounded friend.