I had a first cousin called Arthur McBride He and I took a stroll down by the seaside; Seeking good fortune and what might betide It was just as the day was a'dawnin' And after restin' we both took a tramp We met Sergeant Harper and Corporal Cramp Besides the wee drummer who beat up the camp With his row-dee-dow-dow in the morning
He says my young fellows if you will enlist A guinea you quickly will have in your fist Besides a crown for to kick up the dust And drink the King's health in the morning For a soldier he leads a very fine life He always is blessed with a charming young wife And he pays all his debts without sorrow or strife And always lives happy and charming
And a soldier he always is decent and clean In the finest of garments he's constantly seen While other poor fellows go dirty and mean And sup on thin gruel in the morning Says Arthur, I wouldn't be proud of your clothes You've only the lend of them as I suppose And you dare not change them one night or you know If you do you'll be flogged in the morning
And although we are single and free We take great delight in our own company And we have no desire strange countries to see Although your offer is charming And we have no desire to take your advance All hazards and danger we barter on chance and you'd have no scruples to send us to France Where we would be shot without warning
And now says the sergeant, if I hear but one word I'll instantly now will out with my sword And into your bodies as strength will afford So now my gay devils take warning But Arthur and I we took the odds We gave them no chance to launch out their swords Whacking shillelaghs came over their heads And paid them right smart in the morning
As for the wee drummer, we rifled his pow And made a football of his row-do-dow-dow Into the ocean to rock and to roll And bade it a tedious returnin' As for the old rapier that hung by his side We flung it as far as we could in the tide To the Devil I pitch you, says Arthur McBride To temper your steel in the morning