Paul Brady - Arthur mcbride

Oh me ^Gand my ^Dcousin one A^Grthur McBride As we ^Cwent a-wal^Gking down^Am by the se^Caside, Now ma^Grk what fo^Cllowed an^Gd what did^Em betide For it^G being on Christmas mo^Drning. And fo^Gr recreation we went ^Emon a tramp And we^C met Serge^Gant Napper^Am and Corpora^Cl Cramp. And th^Ge little w^Cee drummer^G intending ^Emcamp For th^Ge day being pleasant and ch^Darming.^G

“Good ^Gmorning, good m^Dorning” the S^Gergeant did cry.” “And t^Che same to^G you gent^Amlemen,” we^C did reply Intend^Ging no har^Cm as we m^Geant to pa^Emss by For it^G being on Christmas mo^Drning. But sa^Gys he “My fine fellow^Ems if you will enlist It’s t^Cen guineas^G in gold I^Am will slip i^Cn your fists And a ^Gcrown in t^Che bargain^G for to kic^Emk up the dust And dr^Gink the King’s health in th^De morni^Gng.

For ^Ga soldier he ^Dleads a v^Gery fine life And he^C always is^G blessed ^Amwith a cha^Crming young wife, And he^G pays all ^Chis debts^G without s^Emorrow and strife And al^Gways lives pleasant an^Dd charming. And a ^Gsoldier he always is ^Emdecent and clean In the^C finest of^G clothing ^Amhe’s constan^Ctly seen While ^Gother poor^C fellows l^Gook dirty a^Emnd mean And su^Gp on thin gruel in the^D mornin^Gg.”

Says^G Arthur, “I wo^Duldn’t be pr^Goud of your clothes For yo^Cu’ve only ^Gthe lend ^Amof them, a^Cs I suppose, And yo^Gu dare not^C change t^Ghem one ni^Emght for you know If you^G do you’ll be flogged ^Din the morning. And al^Gthough that we are si^Emngle and free, We tak^Ce great de^Glight in o^Amur own compa^Cny And we^G have no d^Cesire stra^Gnge faces t^Emo see Althou^Ggh that your offers are c^Dharming^G.

And we^G have no desi^Dre to ta^Gke your advance, All ha^Czards and ^Gdangers w^Ame barter o^Cn chance. For yo^Gu would ha^Cve no scr^Guples for ^Emto send us to France Where ^Gwe would get shot with^Dout warning.” “Oh no^G,” says the Sergeant,^Em “I’ll have no such chat And I ^Cneither will ^Gtake it from ^Amspalpeen or ^Cbrat For if^G you insul^Ct me with ^Gone other w^Emord I’ll c^Gut off your heads in the^D mornin^Gg.”

And th^Gen Arthur and I^D we so^Gon drew our odds And we^C scarce ga^Gve them t^Amime for to^C draw their own blades When a^G trusty sh^Cillelagh ^Gcame over ^Emtheir heads And ba^Gde them take that as f^Dair warning. And th^Geir old rusty rapiers^Em that hung by their sides We flu^Cng them as^G far as we^Am could in th^Ce tide “Now t^Gake them o^Cut, devils^G,” cried Ar^Emthur McBride, “And t^Gemper their edge in th^De morni^Gng.”

And th^Ge little wee dr^Dummer we f^Glattened his pouch And we^C made a fo^Gotball of^Am his rowdy^C dow dow Threw ^Git in the ^Ctide for ^Gto rock an^Emd to roll And ba^Gde it a tedious return^Ding. And we^G having no money, pai^Emd them off in cracks And we^C paid no r^Gespect to ^Amtheir two bl^Coody backs, But we^G lathered ^Cthem there^G like a pai^Emr of wet sacks And le^Gft them for dead in the mor^Dning. ^G

And so^G to conclu^Dde and to fi^Gnish disputes We obl^Cigingly as^Gked if th^Amey wanted ^Crecruits, For we^G were the ^Clads who ^Gwould give^Em them hard clouts And bi^Gd them look sharp in t^Dhe morning. Oh me ^Gand my cousin one Art^Emhur McBride As we ^Cwent a-wal^Gking down ^Amby the seasi^Cde, Now ma^Grk what fo^Cllowed and^G what did b^Emetide For it^G being on Christmas ^Dmorning^G.