SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WON’T YOU MARRY ME?

Joan Morel, from Portsmouth, remembers singing a song with her sister about a maid who wants to marry a soldier. She’d love to teach it to her great-grandchildren Oscar and Archie. This is from the turn of the 20th century.

(Anon)

Oh soldier, soldier, won’t you marry me? / With your musket, fife, and drum?

Oh no, sweet maid, I cannot marry thee / For I have no hat to put on Then up she went to her grandfather’s chest / And got him a hat of the very, very best / She got him a hat of the very, very best / And the soldier put it on. Oh soldier, soldier, won’t you marry me? / With your musket, fife and drum?

Oh no, sweet maid, I cannot marry thee / For I have no boots to put on.

Then up she went to her grandfather’s chest / And got him boots of the very, very best She got him a pair of the very, very best / And the soldier put them on.

Oh soldier, soldier, won’t you marry me? / With your musket, fife, and drum?

Oh no, sweet maid, I cannot marry thee / For I have no gloves to put on.

Then up she went to her grandfather’s chest / And got him gloves of the very, very best She got him a pair of the very, very best / And the soldier put them on.

Now soldier, soldier, won’t you marry me?

With your musket, fife, and drum? Oh no, sweet maid, I cannot marry thee / For I have a wife of my own.

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