The Recruiting Sergeant lyrics
The PoguesAs I was walking down the road
A feeling fine and larky oh
A recruiting sergeant came up to me
Says he, 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
That may be so says I to him
But tell me sergeant dearie-oh
If I had a pack stuck upon my back
Would I look fine and cheerie oh
For they'd have you train and drill until
They had you one of the Frenchies oh
It may be warm in Flanders
But 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 mustache
Says he, I know you're only joking oh
For the sandbags are so warm and high
The wind you won't feel blowing oh
Well I winked at a cailin passing by
Says I, what if it's snowing oh
Come rain or hail or wind or snow
I'm not going out to Flanders oh
There's fighting in Dublin to be done
Let your sergeants and your commanders go
Let Englishmen fight English wars
It's nearly time they started oh
I saluted the sergeant a very good night
And there and then we parted oh
Song Details
Author: Traditional
Music: Shares the same tune as The Peeler and the Goat - a traditional Irish song that humorously critiques the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and their enforcement of laws in 19th-century Ireland. Written by Darby Ryan of Bansha, County Tipperary, the song tells the story of a policeman (a "Peeler") who arrests a goat, accusing it of loitering or disorderly behavior. The goat, in turn, defends itself, highlighting the absurdity of the situation and mocking the officer's corruption and incompetence. The song is rich in satire, using the goat as a symbol of the struggles faced by Irish Catholics under colonial rule.
Date: circa World War I
Brief: A humorous critique of military recruitment practices in Ireland during British rule. The song tells the story of a sergeant traveling through Irish towns, enticing young men to enlist in the British army with promises of adventure, camaraderie, and rewards. It underscores the hardships soldiers faced and reflects the sentiment of preferring to address local struggles rather than fighting in foreign conflicts on behalf of England.
☘ Glossary:
larky: frolicsome
Flanders: A historical region of northwest Europe including parts of northern France, western Belgium, and southwest Netherlands along the North Sea.
cailin: girl
Genre: Anti-recruiting / anti-war / protest
Covers: The Pogues, Dominic Behan, Declan Hunt, Bobby Clancy, Siobhan, The Irish Rovers...
Featured Artists: The Pogues
Album: If I Should Fall From Grace With God (Jan 18, 1988 ☘ UK ☘ 12" Vinyl ☘ Pogue Mahone Records)
