Soldier's Joy Lyrics

Laura Veirs Soldier's Joy

Continental soldiers on a bivouac
Were playin' stud poker in a mountain shack
Every vigilante laid down his hand
When the captain of the guard gave his sharp command

So Jimmy get your fiddle out and rosin up your bow
Sally tune your banjo up we're gonna have a show
Billy pass the jug around to Corporal McCoy
We're gonna have a tune called soldier's joy

The girls in Boston are dancing tonight
The gosh darn red-coats are holding 'em tight
When we get there we'll show them how
But that ain't doing us no good now

So Jimmy get your fiddle out and rosin up your bow
Sally tune your banjo up we're gonna have a show
Billy pass the jug around to Corporal McCoy
We're gonna have a tune called soldier's joy

There goes general Washington
He's got his horse in a sweeping run
The bare-foot boys are beggin' to fight
We're gonna cross the Delaware river tonight

So Jimmy get your fiddle out and rosin up your bow
Sally tune your banjo up we're gonna have a show
Billy pass the jug around to Corporal McCoy
We're gonna have a tune called soldier's joy

Old Burgoyne in the wilderness
Got his army in an awful mess
Farmers got mad at the British and the Huns
They captured ten thousand of the son-of-a-guns

So Jimmy get your fiddle out and rosin up your bow
Sally tune your banjo up we're gonna have a show
Billy pass the jug around to Corporal McCoy
We're gonna have a tune called soldier's joy

General Washington and Rose Shambeaux
Drinking their wine in the campfire's glow
Big Ben Morgan came galloping in
Said we got Cornwallace in the old crow pen

So Jimmy get your fiddle out and rosin up your bow
Sally tune your banjo up we're gonna have a show
Billy pass the jug around to Corporal McCoy
We're gonna have a tune called soldier's joy

Wake up buddy have you heard the news
Grandma Britain's got an awful bruise
Redcoats cried and cursed your town
While the band's played The World's Turned Upside Down

So Jimmy get your fiddle out and rosin up your bow
Sally tune your banjo up we're gonna have a show
Billy pass the jug around to Corporal McCoy
We're gonna have a tune called soldier's joy
We're gonna have a tune called soldier's joy