![]() You'll have to go out on the streets and beg With a military pension and a medal from the crownīut you haven't an arm, you haven't a leg Well, they said he was a hero and not to grieveįor the two ruined legs and the empty sleeves There was sling shot, chain shot, grape shot tooīut your soldiering's done and they're sending you home Where the thin red line made a military stand He was off to be a soldier to go fighting for the Kingīut how will you fare when there's lead in the air? The shilling he took and he kissed the book,įrom the inn near town at the break of day With a scarlet coat and a fine cocked hat Would you like to march along behind a military band He said, "My Johnny, you're a fine young man The Dreadnoughts' lyrics can be found here.įrom the inn near town at the close of day These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns in their livestreams, but mostly follow the arrangement performed by the Dreadnoughts (and originally John Loomes). There is significant debate over which war this song references, though the most likely candidates are the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) or the Seven Years War (1756-1763). "High Germany" is a traditional folk song which predates the 19th century according to Cecil Sharp's One Hundred English Folk Songs, its earliest reference is 1780. ![]() ![]() There are likely several other references in the piece this list is not comprehensive. "Half a ring" refers to a trope common to several traditional songs where a departing soldier or sailor and his beloved break a ring in two and each take half, to be reunited upon his return. The repeated line "Johnny what'll happen to ya" quotes the melody of Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye, and the half verse beginning "But you haven't an arm" is nearly a direct quote of that song's lyrics. "The shilling he took and he kissed the book" refers to The King's Shilling. ![]() The "scarlet coat and a fine cocked hat" is a reference to Mrs. The chorus (not included in this arrangement) borrows its lyrics from a line in Our Captain Cried All Hands. Steeleye Span's "Fighting for Strangers" is an original composition containing references to numerous traditional folk songs. ![]()
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