Recruiting Sergeant lyrics by Pogues - original song full text. Official Recruiting Sergeant lyrics, 2025 version | LyricsMode.com
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Pogues – Recruiting Sergeant lyrics
(Traditional)

As I was walking down the road
A feeling fine and larky oh
A recruiting sergeant came up to me
Says he, you'd look fine in khaki oh
For the King he is in need of men
Come read this proclamation oh
A life in Flanders for you then
Would be a fine vacation oh

That may be so says I to him
But tell me sergeant dearie-oh
If I had a pack stuck upon my back
Would I look fine and cheerie oh
For they'd have you train and drill until
They had you one of the Frenchies oh
It may be warm in Flanders
But it's draughty in the trenches oh

The sergeant smiled and winked his eye
His smile was most provoking oh
He twiddled and twirled his wee mustache
Says he, I know you're only joking oh
For the sandbags are so warm and high
The wind you won't feel blowing oh
Well I winked at a cailin passing by
Says I, what if it's snowing oh

Come rain or hail or wind or snow
I'm not going out to Flanders oh
There's fighting in Dublin to be done
Let your sergeants and your commanders go
Let Englishmen fight English wars
It's nearly time they started oh
I saluted the sergeant a very good night
And there and then we parted oh
×

(Traditional) As I was walking down the road A feeling fine and larky oh A recruiting sergeant came up to me Says he, you'd look fine in khaki oh For the King he is in need of men Come read this proclamation oh A life in Flanders for you then Would be a fine vacation oh That may be so says I to him But tell me sergeant dearie-oh If I had a pack stuck upon my back Would I look fine and cheerie oh For they'd have you train and drill until They had you one of the Frenchies oh It may be warm in Flanders But it's draughty in the trenches oh The sergeant smiled and winked his eye His smile was most provoking oh He twiddled and twirled his wee mustache Says he, I know you're only joking oh For the sandbags are so warm and high The wind you won't feel blowing oh Well I winked at a cailin passing by Says I, what if it's snowing oh Come rain or hail or wind or snow I'm not going out to Flanders oh There's fighting in Dublin to be done Let your sergeants and your commanders go Let Englishmen fight English wars It's nearly time they started oh I saluted the sergeant a very good night And there and then we parted oh Explain Request ×



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official video

The Pogues - Medley: The Recruiting Sergeant / Rocky Road To Dublin / The Galway Races

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