Folk & Traditional Song Lyrics www.traditionalmusic.co.uk Mary and the Soldier 
Mary and the Soldier 
Come all you lads of high renown that will hear of a fair young maiden And she roved out on a summer's day for to view the soldier's parading
 They march so bold and they look so gay The colours fine and the bands did play And it caused young Mary for to say "I'll wed you me gallant soldier" 
She viewed the soldiers on parade and as they stood at their leisure And Mary to herself did say: "At last I find my treasure
 But oh how cruel my parents must be To banish my true love away from me Well I'll leave them all and I'll go with thee Me bold and undaunted soldier" 
"Oh Mary dear, your parents' love I pray don't be unruly For when you're in a foreign land, believe you rue it surely
 Perhaps in battle I might fall From a shot from an angry cannonball And you're so far from your daddy's hall Be advised by a gallant soldier." 
"Oh I have fifty guineas in right gold, likewise a hearth that's burning And I'd leave them all and I'd go with you me bold undaunted soldier
 So don't say no but let me go And I will face the daring foe And we'll march together to and fro And I'll wed you, my gallant soldier" 
And when he saw her loyalty and Mary so true-hearted He said: "Me darling, married we'll be and nothing but death will part us
 And when we're in a foreign land I'll guard you, darling, with my right hand And hopes that God might stand a friend With Mary and her gallant soldier" 
recorded by Paul Brady on "Andy Irvine / Paul Brady" (1976) 
"It's the old story of the soldier heading for the wars and leaving the girl behind him. In some ballads she dressed herself up in men's clothing and went along with him. Numerous too are the songs about the female sailors and female soldiers. More often than not she went along as the pretty drummer boy or the pretty cabin boy. In this particular song, he is so impressed by her loyalty, that he marries her before he goes away." 
MJ