Music Video
Featured In
Top Songs By The Pogues
Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
The Pogues
Performer
Cait O'Riordan
Bass Guitar
Jem Finer
Banjo
Shane MacGowan
Vocals
Spider Stacy
Tin Whistle
James Fearnley
Accordion
Andrew Ranken
Drums
Henry Benagh
Fiddle
Dick Cuthell
French Horn
Philip Chevron
Guitar
Tommy Keane
Uilleann Pipes
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Cait O'Riordan
Songwriter
Jem Finer
Songwriter
Shane MacGowan
Songwriter
Spider Stacy
Songwriter
The Pogues
Arranger
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Nick Robbins
Engineer
Paul Scully
Engineer
Elvis Costello
Producer
Lyrics
It's of a gentleman soldier as sentry he did stand
He saluted a fair maiden by a waiving of his hand
And then he boldly kissed her and he passed it off as a joke
He drilled her up in the sentry box wrapped up in a soldier's cloke
And the drums are going a-rap-a-tap-tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly, my dear
I must be going away
All night they tossed and tumbled 'til the morning did appear
The soldier rose, put on his clothes that said "Fare you well, my dear"
For the drums they are a beating and the fifes they so sweetly play
If it weren't for that Polly, my dear, with you I'd gladly stay
And the drums are going a-rap-a-tap-tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly, my dear
I must be going away
If anyone comes a courting you, you can treat them to a glass
If anyone comes a courting you, you can say you're a country lass
You don't ever tell them, you don't have to play this joke
That you got drilled in a sentry box, wrapped up in a soldier's cloke
And the drums are going a-rap-a-tap-tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly, my dear
I must be going away
Now come, you gentleman soldier, won't you marry me?
Oh no, my dearest Polly, such things can never be
For I've a wife already, children I have three
Two wives are allowed in the army, but one's too many for me
And the drums are going a-rap-a-tap-tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly, my dear
I must be going away
Oh, come my gentleman soldier, why didn't you tell me so?
My parents will be angy, when this they come to know
When nine months had been and gone, the poor girl she brought shame
She had a little militia boy and she didn't know his name
And the drums are going a-rap-a-tap-tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly, my dear
I must be going away
And the drums are going a-rap-a-tap-tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly, my dear
I must be going away
Writer(s): Dp, Jeremy Max Finer, Andrew David Ranken, James Thirkhill Fearnley, Peter Spider Stacey, Shane Patrick Lysaght Mac-gowan, Cait O'riordan
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