war_poetry | Gwendoline Brogdan, 'I'll Make A Man Of You' (Reply)

I'll Make A Man Of You

The Army and the Navy need attention,
The outlook isn't healthy you'll admit,
But I've got a perfect dream of a new recruiting scheme,
Which I think is absolutely it.
If only other girls would do as I do
I believe that we could manage it alone,
For I turn all suitors from me but the sailor and the Tommy,
I've an army and a navy of my own.

On Sunday I walk out with a Soldier,
On Monday I'm taken by a Tar,
On Tuesday I'm out with a baby Boy Scout,
On Wednesday a Hussar;
On Thursday a gang oot wi' a Scottie,
On Friday, the Captain of the crew;
But on Saturday I'm willing, if you'll only take the shilling,
To make a man of any one of you.

I teach the tenderfoot to face the powder,
That gives an added lustre to my skin,
And I show the raw recruit how to give a chaste salute,
So when I'm presenting arms he's falling in.
It makes you almost proud to be a woman.
When you make a strapping soldier of a kid.
And he says 'You put me through it and I didn't want to do it
But you went and made me love you so I did.'

On Sunday I walk out with a Bo'sun.
On Monday a Rifleman in green,
On Tuesday I choose a 'sub' in the 'Blues',
On Wednesday a Marine;
On Thursday a Terrier from Tooting,
On Friday a Midshipman or two,
But on Saturday I'm willing, if you'll only take the shilling,
To make a man of any one of you.

By Gwendoline Brogdan

http://youtu.be/Nn0yayswSbE

http://youtu.be/x308MIPPUyA

Soldiers' reply:

I don’t want to join the army
I don’t want to go to war
I’d rather stay at home
Around the street to roam
Living on the earnings of a lady typist.
I don’t want a bayonet in my belly
I don’t want my bollocks shot away
I’d rather stay in England
Merry merry England
And fornicate my bleedin’ life away

I don’t want to be a soldier
I don’t want to go to war
I’d rather hang around
Piccadilly underground
And live off the earnings
Of a high born lady.
I don’t need no Froggy women
London’s full of girls I’ve never had.
Dear Oh Gawd almighty
I want to stay in Blighty
And follow in the footsteps of me dad.

http://youtu.be/ngcdq3sYte0