Forfar Soldier



In Forfar I was born and bred

In faith I do think shame, sir.

The sober life afore l gaed.

Afore I come be-hame, sir.



Hurrah. hurrah

Wi' my diddy-fan-ai-an-i-do.



My father was a weaver poor.

That ever wove the spool, sir.

There wasna beef within the door.

But just a pound of gruel. sir.



At twelve they sent me to the school

To count the rule of three, sir.

A noble thought came in my head.

And a sodger l would be, sir.

l went in to Forfar Toon

And in the Forfar County.

Enlisted there wi Sairgeant Broon

For fifty pounds o' bounty.



They gave me white mittens to my hands.

And plates to hap my back, sir,

And they swore that I was the bravest man

In a' the toon o' Forfar



Through all the markets in the toon.

They marched me up and doon, sir.

Wi' strip-ed stockings on my legs

And feathers on my croon, sir.



They werna long they changed ma tune.

They sent me o'er to Spain, sir.

There was forty regiments in a raw.

Come a-marching o'er the plain, sir.

Twa long years we fought withain

But o it was in vain, sir.

Until a ball gaed through my leg.

And l up and fired again, sir.



When the doctor came to view my wounds.

He swore that I'd be lame, sir.

But l got a twa oxter staffs.

And l come limping hame, sir.



Through a' the hardships l came through.

It would hardly do to mention.

But I've come back to Forfar Toon

To live upon my pension.



@soldier

Recorded by Jimmy McBeath on A Soldier's Life for Me

(Folksongs of Britain, Volume 8

Written by David Shaw in 1800s, according to Gavin Grieg

"It was sung to many different tunes, such as "Johnny Lad,"

"Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife," and "Robin Tamson's Smiddy""

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