This song has always annoyed me. The tune is very marchy-military and the soldier is a misogynistic twat! He gets lots of nice things from the fair maiden (boots, coat, gloves … who knows what else) and then buggers off, leaving her in the lurch ‘cos he has a wife already. So – he’s cheating on his wife AND cheating on what seems to be a nice lady … she who sings the song. So I’ve re-written the last verse and given it a new tune to give the selfish sodger his come-uppance!
Alan Murray
Alan's website of stuff he's interested in
