(Traditional)

As 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