Digital Tradition Mirror

Soldier Maid

(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

Soldier Maid
  OR RUB A DUB A DUB

When I was a fair maid at the age of sweet sixteen
From my parents I did run away a soldier to become
I enlisted in the army a soldier for to be
And they learnt me tae play upon the rub a dub a dee

  With my nice cap and feathers if you only could have seen
  You'd have sworn in your very heart a young man I had been
  With my gentle waist so slender and my fingers long and small
  I could rattle up the rub a dub a dee the best of them all

Oh many is the prank I played upon the field
And many was the young man his love to me revealed
Many a prank have I seen among the French
And so boldly I fought, though only a wench

With my regiment at the front all the time I might have been
With the brave Duke of York at the siege of Valenciennes
But was favored by my officer for fear I might be slain
I was sent home to England for recruiting back again

Many a night in the guard room I have lain
I never was afraid to lie down with the men
At the pulling off my breeches I oftimes gave a smile
To think I lay with a regiment, and a maiden all the while

That might never have been known until this very hour
But they sent me up to London to keep sentry in the Tower
A lady fell in love with me, I told her I was a maid
She went to my officer, and the secret she betrayed

My officer sent for me to see if that was true
I told him that it was - What else could I do
I told him it was and he smiled at me and said
It's a pity for to lose you, such a drummer as you made

But for your valiant conduct at the siege of Valciennes
A bounty you shall get my girl, a bounty from the king
But should the wars arise again and the King be wanting men
I'll put on my regimentals and I'll fight for him again

recorded by Frankie Armstrong on Music Plays So Grand
  Roy Harris on Rambling Soldier
  Watersons in Yorkshire Garland
SOF

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!