The Bold Soldier (traditional)

Oh soldier, oh soldier,
Coming off the plain
He courted a lady for honor and for fame
Her beauty was so bright
That it never could be told
She always loved the soldier
Because he was so bold.
Fa la la la, fa la la la la
Fa la la la, fa la

Oh soldier, oh soldier,
It's I would be your bride,
But for fear of my father
Some danger might betide.
Then he took out sword and pistol
And hung them at his side
Swore he would be married,
No matter what betide.
Fa la la la, fa la la la la
Fa la la la, fa la 

Then he took her to the parson's,
And, of course, home again
There they met her father
And seven armed men.
Let us fly, said the lady,
I fear we shall be slain
Put your hand, said the soldier,
And never fear again.
Fa la la la, fa la la la la
Fa la la la, fa la 

Then he took out sword and pistol,
And caused them to rattle,
The lady held the horse
While the soldier fought in battle.
Set your hand, said the old man,
Do not be so bold.
You can have my daughter 
And hundred pounds of gold.
Fa la la la, fa la la la la
Fa la la la, fa la 

Fight on! said the lady,
The portion is too small!
Hold your hand, said the old man,
You can have it all.
Then he took them right straight home
And he called them son and dear
Not because he loved them,
But only through fear.
Fa la la la, fa la la la la
Fa la la la, fa la 

Information

This ballad is also known as The Valiant Soldier.

Henry Martin Belden in Ballads and Songs Collected by the Missouri Folklore Society (1940),
notes it was printed on broadsides in the 19th century in England.
He also traces the song to a 17th century broadside named in The Masterpiece of Love Songs (1887).
That broadside was about a gamekeeper and a lord's daughter. 

Burl Ives dates this to Colonial America.
He writes, "During the colonial period,
the English were fighting on land and sea
against Portuguese, French, and Spanish.
Professional soldiers going to or coming
from the wars were known everywhere in England.
Captain Miles Standish and Captain John Smith
were typical soldiers of fortune." 

The song was collected throughout the United States,
including the states of Arkansas, Missouri, Michigan,
Maine, North Carolina, Vermont, Tennessee, Georgia,
Louisiana, Virginia, New Jersey, Illinois.
It was also found in Nova Scotia. 

  Lyrics 

Soldier, oh soldier,
A-coming from the plain
He courted a lady for honor and for fame
Her beauty shone so bright
That it never could be told
She always loved the soldier
Because he was so bold.
Fa la la la, fa la la la
Fa la la la, fa la la la

Soldier, oh soldier,
It's I would be your bride,
But I fear of my father
Some danger might betide.
Then he pulled out sword and pistol
And hung them by his side
Swore he would be married,
No matter what betide.
Fa la la la, fa la la la
Fa la la la, fa la la la

Then he took her to the parson,
And, of course, home again
There they met her father
And seven armed men.
Let us fly, said the lady,
I fear we shall be slain
Take my hand, said the soldier,
And never fear again.
Fa la la la, fa la la la
Fa la la la, fa la la la

Then he pulled out sword and pistol,
And caused them to rattle,
The lady held the horse
While the soldier fought in battle.
Hold your hand, said the old man,
Do not be so bold.
You shall have my daughter 
And a thousand pounds of gold.
Fa la la la, fa la la la
Fa la la la, fa la la la

Fight on! said the lady,
The portion is too small!
Hold your hand, said the old man,
And you shall have it all.
Then he took them right straight home
And he called them son and dear
Not because he loved them,
But only through fear.
Fa la la la, fa la la la
Fa la la la, fa la la la

 
==========


Jolly Soldier

Oh it's of a jolly soldier that lately came from war
He loved a fair young damsel, a damsel so fair
And her fortune was so great that it could scarcely be told
And she loved her jolly soldier boy because he was so bold

Oh then cried the lady "I fain would be your wife
But me father he is cruel and he'd surely take me life"
He drew out his sword and pistol and he hung them by his side
And he swore that he would marry her and let what would be tide

So they went and they were married and as they were coming home
They met with her old father and seven armed men
"Let us flee", cried the lady "for we'll surely will be slain"
"Fear nothing my dear charmer", the soldier cried again

Then up came the old man and unto her did say
"It's for your disobedience to me this very day
For as you had been so mean as to be a soldier's wife
Down in this lonesome valley I will surely take your life"

"Oh no", cried the soldier "I do not like your prattle
For although I am a bridegroom I am well prepared for battle"
He drew out his sword and pistol and he caused them for to roar
And the lady held the bridle while the soldier battled sore

Well the first one he came to he ?run through a vein?
And the second one he came to he served him just the same
"Let us flee", cried the others "For we surely will be slain"
"Fight on, my dear charmer", the lady cried again

"Stay your hand", cried the old man "you make my blood run cold
And you shall have me daughter and five thousand pounds in gold"
"Fight on", cried the lady "for his offer is too small"
"Stay your hand", cried the old man "and you shall have it all"

So he's taken them both home and he's made them both his heirs
And it wasn't out of love but it was from dread and fear
For there never was a soldier ever carried a gun
Who would ever flinch or budge an inch till the battle he has won

So don't despise a soldier just because he's poor
He's as happy on the battlefield as at the barrack door
For they are the lads to be jovial brisk and free
And they'll fight for the pretty girls, for right and liberty


=========

compare with "Earl Brand" (still more ancient version)

Child #7
Laws M27
recorded by Paul Brady on "Andy Irvine / Paul Brady" (1976)

This [Jolly Soldier] is a modern variant of the old ballad of "Earl Brand", where
the father and seven brothers are slain by the lover they are
pursuing. In the older version, the lady asks Sweet William to have
mercy when he comes to her father:

       "O hold your hand Sweet William, she said,
        Your bull baits are wondrous sair,
        Sweet-hearts I may get many a one,
        But a father I will never get mair"

However the lady in this ballad has a better eye to business:

        "Fight on", cried the lady "for his offer is to small"
        "Stay your hand", cried the old man "and you shall have it all".

MJ