Lyr Req: First Battalion's Home

Subject: Lyr Req: First Battalion's Home
From:
Date: 31 Oct 02 - 11:01 PM

I remember a folk song from the 60s that had a chorus something like "but the first battalion's home" Possibly civil war or Irish. A war song and not a positive ending except that the soldiers were finally home. Can anyone help me with the reference and the lyrics?

Thx, jerboa

Subject: Lyr Add: THE FIRST BATTALION'S HOME
From: ddw
Date: 31 Oct 02 - 11:16 PM

I know it from a trilogy of civil war songs, arranged -- if memory serves -- by Bob Gibson.

Now, let me see if I can remember the words.....

The First Battalion's Home
[Shel Silverstein and Bob (Hamilton) Camp]

Boom, ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom
Twelve riders in the gloom
Seven showed red and the rest are dead
But the first battalion's home

Boom, ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom
You can hear their hoofbeats boom
The drums are low and the pace is slow
But the first battalion's home

Bridge:
So run to your homes Virginia girls
Fix your hair with pins
Give them wine and kisses
But don't ask them where they've been

Boom, ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom
And Richmond is their tomb
There's a hundred dead at Richmond
Three hundred dead at Gettysburg
And a hundred more they never found
But the first battalion's home


I think that's it. The arrangement I use also works in Two Brothers and Yes I See, then ends with a reprise of the first verse of this song.

Hope that helps,

cheers,

david

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: First Battalion's Home
From: ddw
Date: 31 Oct 02 - 11:47 PM

BTW jerboa,

I should have mentioned that, although I'm not absolutely certain, I don't think this is an authentic folk song. I've done a fair amount of reading on the Civil War and neither the U.S. or Confederate army had "battalions" as a subset of anything. The term just wasn't used.

cheers,

david

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: First Battalion's Home
From: JJ
Date: 31 Oct 02 - 11:56 PM

Song is by Shel Silverstein and Bob (Hamilton) Camp.

The arrangement that mixes it with "Yes I See" and "Two Brothers" is on the famed Gibson and Camp at the Gate of Horn album, available on CD.

Camp says in the liner notes that "First Battalion" was the first song Silverstein ever wrote.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: First Battalion's Home
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jun 11 - 12:59 PM

I don't know much about the history of the song but it was done-very powerfully- by the Limeliters. Ran across your query while searching myself for the song.
DWC

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: First Battalion's Home
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Jun 11 - 02:10 PM

This thread has complete lyrics for the Civil War Medley, as performed by the Limeliters and by Gibson and Camp (without "Buttons"). The Medley includes: Bright Golden Buttons; The First Battalion's Home; Yes, I See; and Two Brothers.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: First Battalion's Home
From: GUEST,gp
Date: 23 Mar 13 - 11:52 AM

To the best of my recollection, I've only heard this song once, in the barracks back in about 1964 (that is, nearly 50 years ago). It still runs through my head, though, and I found myself googling it and wound up here. Glad to learn about it. It was definitely memorable.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: First Battalion's Home
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Dec 14 - 06:37 PM

RE: Comment on no battalions in the Civil War

On both sides, states fielded numbered battalions of sharpshooters, cavalry, infantry and artillery. Virginia had battalions of infantry, cavalry and artillery each designated First. The 1st VA Infantry Bn did not serve at Gettysburg. The 1st VA Cavalry Bn was State Troops used for local defense. The 1st VA Artillery Bn seems to have spent most of its existence in the Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia.

Also, regiments could form temporary battalions of 3 or more companies and commanded by a major or lieutenant colonel for specific missions such as area guard or escort.

The casualty rate seems to be horrendous. A battalion at full strength might only muster about 500 men.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: First Battalion's Home
From: GUEST,#
Date: 21 Dec 14 - 02:18 PM

http://www.yourepeat.com/watch/?v=08qhOhzJlrY

Bob Gibson and Hamilton Camp sing it at that link.