How Happy the Soldier



How happy the soldier who lives on his pay,

And spends half a crown out of sixpence a day;

Yet fears neither justices, warrants nor bums*

But pays all his debts with a roll of his drum!



cho: With a row de dow, row de dow, row de dow, dow

And he pays all his debts with a roll of his drum.



He cares not a marneday how the world goes,

His King finds his quarters and money and clothes.

He laughs at all sorrow whenever it comes,

And rattles away with a rol of his drum!



cho: With a row de dow, row de dow, row de dow, dow

And rattles away with a roll of his drum.



The drum is his glory, his joy, his delight

It leads him to pleasure as well as to fight;

No girl, when she hears it, though ever so glum

But packs up her tatters and follows the drum.



cho: With a row de dow, row de dow, row de dow, dow

But packs up her tatters and follows the drum.



*short for bumbailiffs; bailiffs used in arrests.



Note: a post-American-Revolutonary song, that comes from a comic

opera, "The Poor Soldier," 1783.

From Early American Songbook, Vinson

@soldier

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