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I had a first cousin called Arthur McBride, he and I took a stroll down by the seaside
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A-seeking good fortune and what might betide, 'twas just as the day was a-dawning
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And then after resting we both took a tramp, we met seargent Harper and corporal Cramp
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Besides the wee drummer who beat up for camp with his rowdy-dow-dow in the morning
He says 'My young fellows, if you will enlist, a Guinee you quickly will have in your fist
Besides a Crown for to kick up the dust and drink the King's health in the morning'
Had we been such fools as to take the advance the wee bitter morning we had run to chance
For you'd think it no scruple to send us to France where we would be killed in the morning
He says 'My young fellows, if I hear but one word, I instantly now will out with my sword
And into your bodies as strength will afford, so now, my gay devils, take warning'
But Arthur and I we took in the odds, we gave them no chance to lunge out their swords
Our whacking shillelaghs came over their heads and paid them right smart in the morning
As for the wee drummer we rifled his pouch and we made a football of his rowdy-dow-dow
And into the ocean to rock and to row and bade him a tedious returning
As for the old rapier that hung by his side we flung it as far as we could in the tide
To the devil I bid you says Arthur McBride to temper your steel in the morning
Version 2
ARTHUR MCBRIDE
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Me and me cousin, one Arthur McBride,
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As we went a'walkin down by the seaside
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we met Sergeant Harper and Corporal Pride,
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The day being Christmas mornin'
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"Good mornin, good mornin'" the Sergeant did
cry,
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"And
The same to ye gentlemen", we did reply
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Intending no harm, we just meant to pass by
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The day being pleasant and charming
Says he, "my young fellows if you will
enlist
It's 10 guineas in gold I will slip in your
fist
I'll throw in a crown for to kick up the dust
And drink the king's health in the morning.
For a soldier he leads a very fine life
And he always is blessed with a charming young
wife
While other poor fellows have sorrow and
strife
And sup on thin gruel in the mornin'"
Says Arthur, "I wouldn't be proud of yer
clothes
for you only lend out them, now as I suppose
And dare not change them one might if ye dare
For you know you'd be flogged in the mornin'
And we have no desire to take yer advance
For all of the dangers we'd not take the
chance
And you'd have no scruples and send us to
France
Where you know we'd be shot in the mornin'"
"Oh, no" says the Sergeant, "if I hear one
more word
I quickly right now will draw out me sword
And into your bodies as strength will afford
So now, me young devils, take warning".
But Arthur and I we counted the odds
And we scarce give them chance for to launch
out their blades
With our trusty shillelaghs we bashed in their
heads
And paid them right smart in the morning.
And the rusty old rapiers that hung by
their sides
We flung them as far as we could in the tide
"Now take that, ye devils," cried Arthur
McBride
"And temper your steel in the morning".
And the little young drummer, we flattened his
pouch
And we made a football of his rowdy-dow-dow
Kicked it into the ocean for to rock and to
roll
And bade it a devious returning.
Oh, Me and me cousin, one Arthur McBride,
As we went a walkin down by the seaside
A-seeking good fortune and what might betide,
It being on Christmas mornin'