American Old Time Song Lyrics: 37 He Was A Soldier

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 37

HE WAS A SOLDIER
Copyright, 1892. by Willis Woodward & Co.
Words and Music by Paul Dresser.

A youth of twenty Summers, he was going far away.
To fight for that he loved the best in battle's grand array;
I saw him kiss the falling tears from off a mother's cheek,
And say, "Don't weep, for I'll return some day."
And then he went off to the war, a youth so blithe and gay,
His mother watched him from the gate until he passed away;
He went into the battle and fought with might and main,
And when the war was over, his thoughts turned home again.

Chorus.
For he was a soldier and he went to the war,
He fought for the flag he loved in battle-fields afar;
And when it was over, with many a scar,
He came back friendless and alone
To the place of his birth with its old oaken door,
Where he had said good-bye in the days of yore;
But all were gone to return no more,
No one to meet him at home.

The vet'ran soldier sadly gazed, then with a deep-drawn sigh,
He turned his footsteps from that home where they had said, "good-bye."
He thought about that mother's face that he had longed to see,
Then cried aloud-Oh, give her back to me!
He wandered down the village street and saw the children play,
But no familiar one to greet and then he went away;
The bugle call he seemed to hear-to arms! stand side by side!
The Great Commander calls me, then sank to earth and died.- Chorus.