minstrel: A Cheerful War Song

[Fred (Flieg) Hollander]

OK, here's a song I just finished polishing. I offer it for
the performance pleasure of anyone who wants to perform it.

As usual, I give freely the right to perform as long as you 
aren't making money at it (beer at the Bardic Circle doesn't
count). If you are planning on publishing it in a songbook,
or making money singing it - talk to me about it.

I have a .mid file of the tune if you can't figure it out from
the notation below. (G'=G below middle C, c= C above middle C.)
         -Frederick J. Hollander, 10 July 1998
       -------------------------------------------

A Cheerful Battle Song - Frederick of Holland, July XXXIII (1998)

(4/4 time, 1/4=210 or so, spritely)
(4  4  4   4 4   4 2     4    4    4   4  4    2 (4rest))

G'  C  C   D D   E G     F    E    C   D  B    C
Go forward into battle, and raise the banner high
Go forward into battle, though some of us must die

  G     G   E   E  G    c    A   G  E  D   G    E
Though some of us must die, our foemen we will kill,

G   C  C   D D   E G     F E   C    D  B     C
So forward into battle, to do our Captain's will



Our Captain he is mighty, he leads us without fear
Our Captain he is mighty, he drinks a lot of beer
He drinks a lot of beer, and then begins to shout
Our Captain he is mighty, he drives the foemen out.


The drummer he is crazy, he hasn't sword or shield
The drummer he is crazy when he leads us to the field
He leads us to the field with the beating of his drum
The drummer may be crazy but he's got them on the run.


We really like the archers with their bows of finest yew
We really like the archers because their aim is true
Because their aim is true they hit when they let fly
We really like the archers -- we just watch our foemen die
   (Refrain:  Repeat first verse.)


When we come to a castle it's the sappers turn to shine
When we come to a castle they dig down and start to mine
They dig down and start to mine 'till they're underneath the wall
When we come to a castle, we sit back and watch it fall.


The spearmen stand behind us with their shafts held in their hands
The spearmen stand behind us, but we are not un-manned.
We are not un-manned for when they begin to play
The spearmen stand behind us; 'tis the foe in front they slay.


The cavalry is ready on the flanks to either side
The cavalry is ready, o'er the foemen they will ride
O'er the foemen they will ride, and break their ranks in twain
Then the cavalry stands ready, to do it all again.
   (Refrain)


We're really very happy that the cook is on our side
We're really very happy that he does his work with pride
He does his work with pride, and each day we praise his skill
We're really very happy that he don't know how to kill.


The doctor has a saw and knife and buckets for the gore
The doctor has a saw and knife and potions by the score
And potions by the score, to ease us when we bleed.
The doctor has a saw and knife we hope he doesn't need


The teamster yells and curses at the horses and the cart
The teamster yells and curses because they're hard to start
Because they're hard to start, he's bringing up the rear.
The teamster yells and curses, but he carries all the gear.
   (Refrain)


The serjeant says we're lazy and we don't know how to fight
The serjeant says we're lazy and he might even be right
He might even be right, but that's just his point of view
The serjeant says we're lazy, but there's nothing left to do!


We carry shields and weapons as we form into the line
We carry shields and weapons and we like our job just fine
We like our job just fine - there's no other we would choose
We carry shields and weapons which we never have to use.


We're the men behind the shieldwall when the enemy comes near
We're the men behind the shieldwall but we have naught to fear
We have nothing to fear,  our comrades guard us well
We're the men behind the shieldwall; on the other side is hell.
( Refrain)

(Last Verse)
Go forward into battle, for the company's complete
Go forward into battle, for there's no one we can't beat
There's no one we can't beat, with our courage and our skill.
So, forward into battle, to do our Captain's will.


(SCA Verses - only one so far - feel free.)
Don't ask about the shoppers; we don't know why they're here
Don't ask about the shoppers; they don't even buy beer
They don't even buy beer but they shop the livelong day
Don't ask about the shoppers; this is the S - C - A
================

   *   *   *    Frederick of Holland, MSCA, OP, etc.
  *|* *|* *|*   flieg at socrates.berkeley.edu        
 |===========|   
  (((Flieg Hollander, Chemistry Dept., U.C. Berkeley)))
 ====================== Old Used Duke  =====================
 [All subjects of the Crown are equal under its protection.]


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