Daddy Is a Trooper

Way back in 1869 My great-grandad was born And he took his infant steps Upon a British lawn The gypsy woman always said He'd be a roving lad And she was right For Africa called to my great-grandad Now grandpa saw the light of day In 1893 And he was raised on ol' blue ground Of dusty Kimberley But great-grandad was fighting in The Matabele war And here's the song my great-grandmother sang to my grandpa Daddy is a trooper He's many miles away Go to sleep and don't you weep While mother kneels to pray Daddy is a trooper Oh Lord be with him now Shine your light on him tonight And keep him safe somehow And then in 1917 My father breathed his first But grandpa was at war in France With fighting at its worst And in the mud and gas and blood Of World War number One He seemed to hear my grandma singing To her little son Well I was born in '43 And father never knew A loyal soldier of the king In World War number Two The living days were hard for us And waiting was so long But mother always used to smile And sing this little song Daddy is a trooper He's many miles away Go to sleep and don't you weep While mother kneels to pray Daddy is a trooper Oh Lord be with him now Shine your light on him tonight And keep him safe somehow Somewhere in North Rhodesia In 1973 I had the news A little baby son was born to me His mother sang a lullaby I'm sure I've heard before For it's been flowing in our veins A hundred years or more Daddy is a trooper He's many miles away Go to sleep and don't you weep While mother kneels to pray Daddy is a trooper Oh Lord be with him now Shine your light