Recruiting Sergeant

As I was walking down the road
A feeling fine and larky oh
A recruiting sergeant came up to me
Saying you'd look fine in khaki oh
For the king he is in need of men
Come read this proclamation oh
A life in Flanders for you then
Would be a fine vacation oh

Well that may be so said i to him
But tell me sergeant dearie oh
If I had a pack upon my back
Would I look so fine and cheerie oh
For they'd have you train and drill Until
they had you like the Frenchies oh
It may be warm in Flanders
It's draughty in the trenches oh

The sergeant smiled and winked his eye
His smile was most provoking oh
He twiddled and twirled his wee moustache
Says he you're only joking oh
For the sandbags are so warm and high
The wind you wont feel blowing oh
I smiled at a colleen passing by
Says I but what if it's snowing oh

Come Rain or hail or wind and snow
I'm not going over to flanders oh
There's fighting in Dublin to be done
Let your sergeants and your commanders go
Let English men fight English wars
Its nearly time they started oh
I bid the sergeant a very good night
and There and then we parted oh