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The Kerry Recruit

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Wikipedia article




"'The Kerry Recruit'" is an Irish song referring to the Crimean War. The song's lyrics are from the point of view of an Irish soldier (from County Kerry).

Rumour has it, that if you were around during the playing of "The Kerry Recruit" during the Crimean War, you were to be thrown in jail.

The lyrics of the song:

:About four years ago I was digging the land

:With me brga on me feet and me spade in me hand

:Says I to me self, what a pity to see,

:Such a fine strapping lad footing turf round Tralee

::CHORUS

::With me too rum a na, with me too rum a na,

::With me too rum an urum an urum a na.

:Well I buttered me brga, an' shook hands with me spade,

:An' away to the fair, like a dashing young blade

:When up comes a sergeant an he asks me to 'list,

:Dhera, sergeant a ghrdh, stick a bob in me fist!

::CHORUS

:Now the first thing they gave me it was a red coat,

:With a wide strap of leather to tie round me throat

:Then they gave me a quare thing, I asked what was that,

:They told me it was a cockade for me hat

::CHORUS

:The next thing they gave me, they called it a gun,

:With powder an ball an' a place for me thumb.

:Well first she spat fire, and then she spewed smoke,

:An' she gave me oul shoulders a hell of a stroke

::CHORUS

:Well the first place they sent me was down by the sea,

:On board of a warship bound for the Crimea

:Three sticks in the middle all rowled round with sheets,

:Faith, she walked on the water without any feet!

::CHORUS

:When at Balaclava we landed quite sound,

:Cold, wet and hungry we lay on the ground

:Next morning for action the bugle did call,

:And we had a hot breakfast of powder and ball

::CHORUS

:Well we fought at the Alma, likewise Inkermann,

:But the Russians they whiled us at the Redan

:In scalin' the walls there, meself lost an eye,

:And a big Russian bullet ran away with me thigh.

::CHORUS

:Well they brought me a doctor, he soon staunched me blood,

:Then they gave me an elegant leg made of wood.

:They gave me a medal and tenpence a day,

:Contented with Sle, I'll live on half pay.

::CHORUS

References



Category:Irish songs

Category:1915 songs

Category:The Dubliners songs

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