The King's Shilling Songtext

von Karan Casey

Oh my love has left me with bairnes twa
And that's the last of him I ever saw
He's joined the army and marched to war
He took the shilling
He took the shilling and he's off to war

Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King's shilling and you're off to war

Well did he look as he marched along
With his kilt and sporran and his musket gun
And the ladies tipped him as he marched along
He sailed out by
He sailed out by the Broomielaw

The pipes did play as he marched along
And the soldiers sang out a battle song
"March on, march on," cried the Captain gay
And for King and country
For King and country we will fight today

Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King's shilling and we're off to war

The battle rattled to the sound of guns
And the bayonets flashed in the morning sun
The drums did beat and the cannons roared
And the shilling didn't seem
The shilling didn't seem much worth the war

Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King's shilling and we're off to war

Well the men they fought and the men did fall
Cut down by bayonets and musket ball
And many of these brave young men
Would never fight for
Would never fight for the King again

Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King's shilling and we're off to war
Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King's shilling and you'll die in war

I've always liked the gentle heartache to this song which I got from Frank Harte.