The Soldier and the Lady
Sung by Fred and Ray Cantwell (with accordion).
Recorded by Peter Kennedy in Standlake, Oxford,
England, in 1956.
I saw a sweet couple together at play.
And the one was a fair lady, so beautiful and so fair,
And the other was a soldier — a brave grenadier
Chorus:
But they kissed so sweet and comforting, as they pressed to each other.
They went arming along the road, like sister and brother.
They went arming along the road, till they came to a spring.
Then they both sat down together — Love, to hear the nightingales sing.
(Whistling)
Then out of his knapsack he drew a long fiddle,
And he played to her such merry tunes
that she ever did hear.
And he played to her such merry tunes, caused the valleys to ring,
"Hark, hark," replied the fair maid, "How the nightingales sing!"
(Chorus)
Additional verses:
[ "O come," said the soldier, "'tis time to give o'er."
"O no," says the fair maid, "Please play one tune more.
I do like your playing and the touching of the long string,
And to see the pretty flowers grow, hear the nightingales sing."]
"Now as I'm going to India for seven long years,
Drinking wines and strong whisky instead of strong beers,
But if I ever return again, it will be in the spring,
Then we'll both sit down together, love, and hear the nightingales sing!"
(Chorus)
"Now," said the fair maid, "come, soldier, tarry with me."
"O no," replied the soldier, "How ever can that be?
For I've got a little wife at home in my own count-e-rie,
And she is the fairest little woman that your eyes ever seen."
(Chorus)