Oh hark, the drums do beat my love
I can no longer stay
The bugle horns are sounding clear
And I must march away
We are ordered down to portsmouth
And it's many's the weary mile
To join the british army, along the banks of the nile
Oh willie, dearest willie
Don't leave me here to mourn
Don't make me curse and rue the day
That ever I was born
For the parting of our love
Would be like parting with my life
So stay at home my dearest love
And I will be your wife
Oh nancy, darling nancy
Sure that would never do
The government has ordered
And we are bound to go
The government has ordered
And the queen she gives command
And I am bound on oath, my love
To serve in a foreign land
Oh, then I'll cut off my long hair
And I'll go along with you
I'll dress myself in uniform & I'll see egypt too
I'll march beneath your banner
While fortune she do smile
And we'll comfort one another
Along the banks of the nile
But your waist it is too slender
Your fingers they're too small
The cruel sun of egypt your rosy cheeks would spoil
Well the cannons they do rattle
And the bullets they do fly
And the silver trumpets sound so loud
To hide the dismal cries
Oh, then cursed be those cruel wars
Since ever they began
For they have robbed our country of many's the handsome man
They have robbed us of our sweethearts
While their bodies they feed the lions
On the dry & sandy deserts
Which are the banks of the nile