CAVALRY SONGS
Sung and played while on the march, parade, in barracks and on pass in local towns and settlements, these songs expressed the spirit of the horse soldiers. In this era of "political correctness" some might take offense at the sentiments expressed. Nevertheless, these songs serve to remind us of the joy and pain shared by mounted soldiers as they served and often died for publics which were too often unaware and unappreciative of the sacrifices of their fighting men.
CLARE'S DRAGOONS
When, on Ramillies' bloody field,
The baffled French were forced to yield,
The victor Saxon backward reeled
Before the charge of Clare's dragoons.
The flags we conquered in that fray,
Look lone in Ypres' choir, they say,
We'll win them company today,
Or bravely die like Clare's dragoons.
Viva la, for Ireland's wrong!
Viva la, for Ireland's right!
Viva la, in battle throng,
For a Spanish steed and sabre bright!
Another Clare is here to lead,
The worthy son of such a breed
The French expect some famous deed,
When Clare leads on his bold dragoons.
Our colonel comes from Brian's race,
His wounds are in his breast and face,
The bearna baoghil is still his place,
The foremost of his bold dragoon,
Viva la, the new brigade!
Viva la, the old one too!
Viva la, the rose shall fade
And the shamrock shine forever new!
Oh! comrades, think how Ireland pines,
Her exiled lords, her rifled shrines,
Her dearest hope, the ordered lines,
And bursting charge of Clare's dragoons.
Then fling your green flag to the sky,
Be "Limerick!" your battle-cry,,
And charge, till blood floats fetlock-high
Around the track of Clare's dragoons.
Viva la, the new brigade!
Viva la, the old one too!
Viva la, the rose shall fade
And the shamrock shine forever new!
ENNISKILLEN DRAGOONS
A beautiful damsel of fame and renown
A gentleman's daughter from Monaghan town
As she went through the barracks this beautiful maid
Stood up in her coach to see dragoons on parade
Fare ye well, Enniskillen, I must leave you for a
while
And all thy fair waters and Erin's green isle
And when the wars are over, I'll return in full bloom
And they'll all welcome home their Enniskillen dragoons
They were all dressed up the like of gentleman's sons
With their bright shining rapiers and carabine guns
Their bayonets fornemst them, oh she saw them full soon
Just because that she loved an Enniskillen dragoon
She looked to the bright sons of Mars on the right
Their armor outshining the stars of the night
"Oh Willie, dearest Willie, you have 'listed full soon
In the royal, loyal Enniskillen dragoons"
"Oh Flora, dearest Flora, your pardon I crave
Both now and forever, you know I am your slave
But your parents they have slighted me, morning, night, and noon
Just because that you loved your Enniskillen dragoon"
"Oh Willie, dearest Willie, head not what they
say
For children their parents must always obey
And when you've left Ireland, they'll soon change their tune
Sayin' 'The good Lord be wi' ye, Enniskillen dragoon'"
FIDDLER'S GREEN
Halfway down the trail to hell
In a shady meadow green,
Are the souls of all dead troopers camped
Near a good old-time canteen
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddler's Green.
Marching past, straight through to hell,
The infantry are seen, '
Accompanied by the Engineers,
Artillery and Marine,
For none but the shades of Cavalrymen
Dismount at Flddlers' Green.
Though some go curving down the trail
To seek a warmer scene,
No trooper ever gets to Hell
Ere he's emptied his canteen,
And so rides back to drink agaln
With friends at Fiddlers' Green.
And so when man and horse go down
Beneath a saber keen,
Or in a roaring charge or fierce melee
You stop a bullet clean,
And the hostiles come to get your scalp,
Just empty your canteen,
And put your pistol to your head
And go to Fiddlers' Green.
GARRYOWEN
Let Bacchus' sons be not dismayed
But join with me, each jovial blade
Come, drink and sing and lend your aid
To help me with the chorus:
cho: Instead of spa, we'll drink brown ale
And pay the reckoning on the nail;
No man for debt shall go to jail
From Garryowen in glory.
We'll beat the bailiffs out of fun,
We'll make the mayor and sheriffs run
We are the boys no man dares dun
If he regards a whole skin.
Our hearts so stout have got no fame
For soon 'tis known from whence we came
Where'er we go they fear the name
Of Garryowen in glory.
THE LIGHT DRAGOON
The Light Dragoon came over the hill,
The moon was shining clearly,
There was a young woman, sure she new him by his horse,
Because she loved him dearly.
Dearly, so dearly
There was a young woman, sure she knew him by his horse
Because she loved him dearly
She took him by the bridle and,
She led him to the stable,
Here's hay and oats for your horse young man,
Let him eat while he is able.
Able so able
Here's hay and oats for your horse young man
Let him eat while he is able
She took him in her own white hand,
And led him to the table,
Here's cakes and wine for you my love,
Eat and drink while you are able.
Able so able
Here's cakes and wine for you my love
Eat and drink while you are able
She ran upstairs to make the bed,
To make it soft and easy,
How nimbly she jumped into the bad,
To see if it lay easy.
Easy, so easy
How nimbly she jumped into the bad
To see if it lay easy
The Light Dragoon he ran upstairs,
Put off his army trousers,
How nimble he jumped into the bed,
To see if it lay easy.
Easy, so easy
How nimbly he jumped into the bad
To see if it lay easy
Oh there they lay 'til the cock did crow,
And the trumpets they were sounding,
With her spirits high and her belly low,
She ran home to her mammy.
Mammy, her mammy
With her spirits high and her belly low
She ran home to her mammy
Now where have you been all this long night,
Inquired her anxious parents,
Oh I've been along of the Light Dragoon,
Because I love him dearly.
Dearly, so dearly
Oh I've been along of the Light Dragoon
Because I love him dearly
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This page last updated
Friday, 23 October 1998 15:35 Eastern Daylight Time