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!(1)
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 now."
"That maybe so," says I to him,
"But tell me sergent Dearie-oh!
If I had a pack stuck upon me back,
Would I look fine and cheerie oh!
For they'd have you train and drill until
They had you one of Frenchies oh!
It maybe 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 moustache,
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 colleen 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.(2)
Let your Sergeants and Commanders go.
Let Englishmen fight English wars,
It's nearly time they started oh!
I salute the Sergeant a very good night!"
And there and then we parted oh!
A feeling fine and larky oh!
A recruiting Sergeant came up to me,
Says he "You'd look fine in khaki, oh!(1)
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 now."
"That maybe so," says I to him,
"But tell me sergent Dearie-oh!
If I had a pack stuck upon me back,
Would I look fine and cheerie oh!
For they'd have you train and drill until
They had you one of Frenchies oh!
It maybe 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 moustache,
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 colleen 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.(2)
Let your Sergeants and Commanders go.
Let Englishmen fight English wars,
It's nearly time they started oh!
I salute the Sergeant a very good night!"
And there and then we parted oh!
Language: Italian
Traduzione italiana di Lorenzo Masetti
Per ricordare Shane McGowan che ha dato una memorabile interpretazione di questa canzone.
Per ricordare Shane McGowan che ha dato una memorabile interpretazione di questa canzone.
IL SERGENTE RECLUTATORE
Mentre camminavo lungo la strada
tutto contento ed allegro
Un sergente reclutatore venne verso di me
dicendo "Oh, ti vedrei proprio bene in kaki (1)
Perché il Re ha bisogno di uomini
Vieni, leggi questo proclama!
Una vita nelle Fiandre per te
sarebbe proprio una bella vacanza"
"Sarà anche vero", gli risposi
"Ma dimmi mio sergente caro
Se avessi uno zaino pesante piantato sulla schiena
credi che mi sentirei a posto e allegro?
Perché ti addestrano e ti fanno esercitare finché
ti fanno diventare come uno dei francesi
Farà anche caldo nelle Fiandre,
ma le trincee sono piene di spifferi!"
Il sergente sorrise e strizzò l'occhio
Il suo sorriso era molto provocatorio
e giocherellando e rigirandosi i baffetti
disse, "Lo so che stai solo scherzando
i sacchi di sabbia sono così caldi e alti
Che non sentirai neanche soffiare il vento!"
Ammiccando a una ragazina che passava,
io gli risposi "Oh! E se poi nevica?"
"Che ci sia la pioggia o la grandine, il vento o la neve
Io nelle Fiandre non ci vado
C'è una battaglia da combattere a Dublino (2)
Fateci andare i vostri sergenti e i vostri comandanti
Che siano gli inglesi a combattere le guerre degli inglesi
è l'ora che comincino sul serio!
I miei omaggi, sergente, e buona notte!"
E a quel punto ci siamo lasciati, ovvìa!
Mentre camminavo lungo la strada
tutto contento ed allegro
Un sergente reclutatore venne verso di me
dicendo "Oh, ti vedrei proprio bene in kaki (1)
Perché il Re ha bisogno di uomini
Vieni, leggi questo proclama!
Una vita nelle Fiandre per te
sarebbe proprio una bella vacanza"
"Sarà anche vero", gli risposi
"Ma dimmi mio sergente caro
Se avessi uno zaino pesante piantato sulla schiena
credi che mi sentirei a posto e allegro?
Perché ti addestrano e ti fanno esercitare finché
ti fanno diventare come uno dei francesi
Farà anche caldo nelle Fiandre,
ma le trincee sono piene di spifferi!"
Il sergente sorrise e strizzò l'occhio
Il suo sorriso era molto provocatorio
e giocherellando e rigirandosi i baffetti
disse, "Lo so che stai solo scherzando
i sacchi di sabbia sono così caldi e alti
Che non sentirai neanche soffiare il vento!"
Ammiccando a una ragazina che passava,
io gli risposi "Oh! E se poi nevica?"
"Che ci sia la pioggia o la grandine, il vento o la neve
Io nelle Fiandre non ci vado
C'è una battaglia da combattere a Dublino (2)
Fateci andare i vostri sergenti e i vostri comandanti
Che siano gli inglesi a combattere le guerre degli inglesi
è l'ora che comincino sul serio!
I miei omaggi, sergente, e buona notte!"
E a quel punto ci siamo lasciati, ovvìa!
Language: English
La versione cantata da Dominic Behan / Doiminic Ó Beacháin
THE RECRUITING SERGEANT
As I was going down the road,
feeling fine and larky O,
A recruiting sergeant says to me,
“Now you'd look fine in khaki O.
The King he is in need of men,
come read his proclamation O.
A life in Flanders for you
then would be a fine vacation O.”
“That may be so,” says I to him,
“but tell me sergeant dearie O,
If I had a pack stuck upon me back,
do you think I'd look fine and cheery O?
You'd make me train and drill until
they had me one of French's O.
It may be warm in Flanders
but it's draughty in the trenches O.”
The sergeant smiled and winked his eye,
his smile was most provoking O.
He twiddled and twirled his wee moustache,
says he, “You're only joking O!
For the sandbags are so warm and high,
the wind you won't feel blowing O.”
Well I winked at a cailin passing by,
says I, “What if it's snowing O?
Come rain or hail or wind or snow,
we're not going out to Flanders O.
There's fighting in Dublin to be done,
let your Sergeants and your Commanders go.
Let Englishmen for England fight,
'tis just about time they started O.”
I wished the Sergeant a very good night
and there and then departed O.
As I was going down the road,
feeling fine and larky O,
A recruiting sergeant says to me,
“Now you'd look fine in khaki O.
The King he is in need of men,
come read his proclamation O.
A life in Flanders for you
then would be a fine vacation O.”
“That may be so,” says I to him,
“but tell me sergeant dearie O,
If I had a pack stuck upon me back,
do you think I'd look fine and cheery O?
You'd make me train and drill until
they had me one of French's O.
It may be warm in Flanders
but it's draughty in the trenches O.”
The sergeant smiled and winked his eye,
his smile was most provoking O.
He twiddled and twirled his wee moustache,
says he, “You're only joking O!
For the sandbags are so warm and high,
the wind you won't feel blowing O.”
Well I winked at a cailin passing by,
says I, “What if it's snowing O?
Come rain or hail or wind or snow,
we're not going out to Flanders O.
There's fighting in Dublin to be done,
let your Sergeants and your Commanders go.
Let Englishmen for England fight,
'tis just about time they started O.”
I wished the Sergeant a very good night
and there and then departed O.
Language: English
Versione cantata da Robin Hall e Jimmie McGregor
THE RECRUITING SERGEANT
As I was walking down the street
I was feeling light and larky O
When a recruiting sergeant says to me,
“You'd look fine in khaki O.
For the King he is in need of men,
come read this proclamation O.
And it's a life in Flanders for you then,
't will be a lovely vacation O.”
So I looked the the sergeant then says I,
“Please tell me sergeant dearie O,
If I had a pack stuck upon me back
would I look bright and cheerie O?
For you'd make me drill and train until
you'd had me like the Frenchies O,
Oh it may be warm in Flanders
but it's draughty in the trenches O.”
Then the sergeant raised his little cane
and his smile was most provoking O,
And he twiddled and twirled his wee moustache,
says he, “Surely you're joking O!
For the sandbags they are lovely and high
and the wind you'd never feel blowing O.”
But I winked at a cailin passing by,
says I, “What if it's snowing O?
“O come wind, come rain, come hail,
come snow, we're not going out to Flanders O,
For there's fighting in Dublin to be done,
let your Captains and Commanders go.
And let Englishmen for England fight
and it's time that they get started O.”
And I gave that Sergeant a jolly good night
and there and then we parted O.
As I was walking down the street
I was feeling light and larky O
When a recruiting sergeant says to me,
“You'd look fine in khaki O.
For the King he is in need of men,
come read this proclamation O.
And it's a life in Flanders for you then,
't will be a lovely vacation O.”
So I looked the the sergeant then says I,
“Please tell me sergeant dearie O,
If I had a pack stuck upon me back
would I look bright and cheerie O?
For you'd make me drill and train until
you'd had me like the Frenchies O,
Oh it may be warm in Flanders
but it's draughty in the trenches O.”
Then the sergeant raised his little cane
and his smile was most provoking O,
And he twiddled and twirled his wee moustache,
says he, “Surely you're joking O!
For the sandbags they are lovely and high
and the wind you'd never feel blowing O.”
But I winked at a cailin passing by,
says I, “What if it's snowing O?
“O come wind, come rain, come hail,
come snow, we're not going out to Flanders O,
For there's fighting in Dublin to be done,
let your Captains and Commanders go.
And let Englishmen for England fight
and it's time that they get started O.”
And I gave that Sergeant a jolly good night
and there and then we parted O.
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Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.
L'autore e' (era) mio padre, Seamus O'Farrell (1886-1973), giornalista e nazionalista. Doveva essere cantata con la melodia di una piu' vecchia canzone nazionalista "The Peeler and the Goat".
(Kathleen Rocchi)
Interpretata da Dominic Behan e anche dai Pogues in medley con "The Rocky Road to Dublin"
Mainly Norgolk