Arthur McBride

Oh, me and me cousin, one Arthur McBride As we went, walking down by the seaside Now, mark what followed and what did betide For it being on Christmas morning Now for recreation, we went on a tramp And we met Sergeant Napper and Corporal Vamp And a little wee drummer, in tending to camp For the day being pleasant and charming "Good morning, good morning," the sergeant did cry "And the same to you, gentlemen," we did reply Intending no harm, but meant to pass by For it being on Christmas morning But says he, my fine fellows, if you will enlist Ten guineas in gold I will stick to your fist And a crown in the bargain for to kick up the dust And drink the King's health in the morning For a soldier he leads a very fine life And he always is blessed with a charming young wife And he pays all his debts without sorrow or strife And he always lives pleasant and charming And a soldier he always is decent and clean In the finest of clothing, he's constantly seen While other poor fellows go dirty and mean And sup on thin gruel in the morning But, says Arthur, "I wouldn't be proud of your clothes For you've only the lend of them as I suppose But you dare not change them one night, for you know If you do, you'll be flogged in the morning And although that we were single and free We take great delight in our own company We have no desire strange faces to see Although that your offers are charming And we have no desire to take your advance All hazards and dangers we barter on chance For you'd have no scruples for to send us to France Where we would get shot without warning" "Oh no!" Says the sergeant, "I'll have no such chat And neither will I take it from snappy young brats For if you insult me with one other word I'll cut off your heads in the morning" And Arthur and I, we soon drew our hods And we scarce gave them time for to draw their own blades When a trusty shillelagh came over their heads And bade them take that as fair warning And their old rusty rapiers that hung by their side We flung them as far as we could in the tide "Now take them out, Devils", cried Arthur McBride "And temper their edge in the morning" And the little wee drummer, we flattened his pow And we made a football of his rowdeydowdow Threw it in the tide for to rock and to row And bade it a tedious returning And we having no money, paid them off in cracks We paid no respect to their two bloody backs And we lathered them there like a pair of wet sacks And left them for dead in the morning And so to conclude and to finish disputes We obligingly asked if they wanted recruits For we were the lads who would give them hard clouts And bid them look sharp in the morning Oh, me and me cousin, one Arthur McBride As we went, walking down by the seaside Mark now what followed and what did betide For it being on Christmas morning