Mary and the Soldier

Traditional – Ireland
Key G Major, Guitar Tuning: DGDGBD

Learned pretty much verbatim from the singing and playing of Paul Brady, off the Album Andy Irvine & Paul Brady.

Come all you lads of high renown, that would hear of a fair young maiden,
As she roved out of a summer’s day, for to view the soldiers parading,
The march so bold and the look so gay, the collors flying and the bands did play,
And it casued young Mary for to say, “I will wed with a gallant soldier.”

She viewed the soldiers on parade, and as they stood at their leisure,
Young Mary to herself did say, “now at last I’ve found my treasure
But it’s oh-so-cruel my parents must be, to banish my darling so far from me,
And I’ll leave them all and I’ll go with thee, My bold undoubted soldier.”

“But, Mary dear, your parents’ love, I pray don’t be unruly,
And when you’re in a foreign shore, believe me you’ll rue it surely,
For perhaps in battle I might fall, with a shot from an angry cannonball,
And with you so far from your father’s hall, be advised by a gallant soldier.”

“But I have fifty guineas in bright gold, likewise a heart that’s bolder,
And I’ll leave them all and I’ll go with you, my bold undaunted soldier,
And don’t say no, but let me go, and I will face thy daring foe,
And we’ll march together to and fro, and I’ll wed you my gallant soldier.”

And when that he saw her loyalty, that Mary was so true-hearted,
He said, “My darling, married we’ll be, and not even death will part us,”
And when that we’re in a foreign land, I’ll guard you darling with my right hand,
And I hope that God might stand a friend, to Mary and Her Gallant Soldier.”