Digital Tradition Mirror

Bless 'em All (British Army WWII)

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Bless 'em All (British Army WWII)

There's many a troopship just leavin' Bombay
Bound for old Blighty's shore;
Heavily laden with time-expired men
Bound for the land they adore.
There's many a soldier just finished 'is time
And many a twerp signin' on;
They'll get no promotion this side of the ocean
So cheer up my lads, bless 'em all

cho: Bless 'em all! Bless 'em all!
     The long and the short and the tall
     Bless all the sergents and WO/1s
     Bless all the corporals and their blinkin' sons
     For we're sayin' goodbye to 'em all
     As back to the barracks they crawl,
     You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean
     So cheer up my lads, bless 'em all
They say if you work hard you'll get better pay
We've 'eard it all before;
Clean up your buttons and polish your boots
Scrup out the barrack-room floor
There's many a swaddie 'as taken it in
'Ook line and sinker and all
They'll get no promotion this side of the ocean
So cheer up my lads, bless 'em all

They say that the sergeant's a very nice bloke
Oh! what a tale to tell!
Ask 'im for leave on a Saturday night
'E'll pay yer fare 'ome as well.
There's many a swaddie 'as blighted 'is life
Through writing rude words on the wall,
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean
So cheer up my lads, bless 'em all

Officers don't worry me,
Officers don't worry me;
Bell-bottom trousers with stripes down the side
Whacking big pockets with damn-all inside
But we're saying goodby to them all
As back to their billings they crael,
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean
So cheer up my lads, bless 'em all

Recorded by Ewan MacColl, British Army Songs
RG

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!