American Old Time Song Lyrics: 06 The Timid Awkward Squad

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 6

The Timid Awkward Squad.

Ye may talk about your "Mulligan Guards, and " Regular Army, Oh!"
I shall never shall forget the day I started for to go
And be a bold millshee boy, so happy, gay and free.
In the gallant "Sixty-ninth," I Jined the ranks, of Company "G."
They put me in the "Awkward Squad," wid a dozen more,
Wid a musket on me shoulder, sure they made me walk the floor
We march'd unto the right and left until me feet were sore,
When we were In the timid " Awkward Squad."

Chorus.
"Lift! Lift !" the sargint used to say,
"Now ye's have it I can't ye kape it?
Turn yer head this way I
Right about I Shoulder arms!
An hour every day.
When we were In the timid " Awkard Squad.

I found it very diffikilt to keep the step at all.
Along wid all the others when paradin' in the Hall;
At aich mistake I used to make, the sargint he would say,
"Yer as awkward as the devil; don't ye hould yer gun that way!"
Whine'er he'd spake au ordher, but egad I 'twas wid a vim ;
I often wished, upon my soul, to put a head on him,
But he at least weighed twenty stone, while I was very slim.
From marching in the timid "Awkward Squad."-Chorus.

When we're considered compitant. into the company
They'll put us in the ranks at wanst, and there they'll let us be:
And undher sargint's orders thin no longer we'll plod-
Shouldher arms and counter marchin' in the timid " Awkward Squad."
When out Into the strate we go to have a foine parade,
We'll so looked upon wid pride, me boys, by every servant maid ;
And wid the sargint on our right, no more we'll so afraid
Of marching in the timid " Awkward Squad."-Chorus.

If ever I'm promoted, and a General I be,
I'll make 'em feel me vingeance, all sargints under me
I'll have 'em marchin' ivery day, or carryin' the hod,
For being so uncivil to the timid "Awkward Squad."
And if they should retalyate, or give me any talk,
I'll redoose them to the ranks at wance, and there I'll make 'em walk I
If that ain't punishment enough, "like any other gawk,"
Gad, I'll put them In the timid " Awkward Squad."-Chorus.