Digital Tradition Mirror

The Old Soldiers of the King

(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

(alternate:)

(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

The Old Soldiers of the King

Since you all must have singing and won't be said, "Nay,"
I  cannot refuse when  you beg and you  pray.
I will sing you a song as a poet might say,
Of King George's old soldiers who ne'er run away.

cho: We're the old soldiers of the King,
     And the King's own regulars.

At Lexington we met with Rebels one day,
We got ourselves up in our finest array,
Our heads bid us stand, and our hearts bid us stay,
But our legs were strong-minded and took us away.

They fought so unfairly from back of the trees,
If they'd only fought open we'd have beat them with ease,
They can fight one another that way, if they please,
But we don't have to stand for such tactics as these.

We marched into Princeton with fifes and with drums,
With muskets and cannons, with swords and with bombs,
This great expedition cost infinite sums
But some underpaid Doodles they cut us to crumbs.

Our general staff planned the Yankee's defeat,
With stealth we'd surprise them the next time we'd meet,
We marched, not expecting that we might be beat,
So the generals' plan of surprise was complete.

'Tis true that we turned, but that shouldn't disgrace us,
We did it to prove that the foe couldn't face us,
And they've nothing to boast, it's a very plain case,
Though we lost in the fight, we came first in the race.

Note: A parody of Old Courtiers of the Queen
Singing note: chanted, except for chorus, on a monotone.
play.exe OLDSLDR2
RG

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!