Where There's Rest for Horse and Man or Home Lads Home
Overseas in India the sun was setting low
With tramp of feet and jingle as I heard the gunteams go
But something seemed to set me a dreaming as I lay
Of my old Hampshire village at the quiet end of day
And it's home, lads home, all among the corn and clover
Home lads home, when the working day is over
Where there's rest for horse and man when the longest day is done
And we'll all go home together at the setting of the sun
Proud thatch with gardens blooming with lily and with rose
The river flowing past them, so quiet as it goes
White fields of oats and barley and the elderflower like home
And the sky a gold at sunset and the horses going home
Captain Cox and Traveler, I see them all so plain
With tasseled earflaps nodding all along the leafy lane
Somewhere a bird is calling and the swallow flying low
And the lads all sitting sideways and singing as they go
Gone is many a lad now and many a horse gone too
All those lads and horses from greenfields that I knew
For Dick fell at Givenchy and Prince beside the gun
On that red road to glory a mile or two from Munn
Gray lads and shadowy horses, I see them all so plain
I see them and I know them and I call them each by name
While riding down from Swanmore with all the West a-glow
And the lads all sitting sideways and singing as they go
And it's home, lads, home, with the sunset on their faces
Home lads, home to those quiet happy places
Where there's rest for horse and man when the longest day is done
And we'll all go home together at the setting of the sun
sung by David Jones about World War I
The original words to "Home Lands Home" were written by a Hampshire
Soldier during the First World War. Sarah [Morgan] found them in a
magazine, edited them, and wrote a tune. The places mentioned are in
Hampshire, just north-west of Portsmouth --- From the sleve notes for
the first Bread and Roses album (DRGN 881).
On the sleve notes for Mick Ryan's musical drama "A Day's Work" the song
is credited as being written by Fox-Smith with music my Sarah Morgan. PK
SOF, PK
S
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!