I’ll Be a Soldier

A Civil War song from the year 1861.
Words and music by Stephen C. Foster.

The sheet music:

Ill-Be-a-Soldier – SHEET MUSICDownload

Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:

Ill_Be_A_Soldier – MIDIDownload

Lyrics

  1. I’ll be a soldier and march to the drum,
    And lie in my tent when the night shadows come;
    I’ll be a soldier with knapsack and gun,
    And stand to my post ’till the din of battle’s done

Chorus:
Farewell! My own lov’d Jenny dear,
Still will I dream of thee wherever I may stray;
Farewell! Before the coming year,
I’ll be a soldier far, far away

  1. I’ll be a soldier and join in the fray,
    With black shining belt and a jacket of gray;
    I’ll face up the battle as bold as a hawk
    As gray as a lark and as steady as a rock
  2. I’ll be a soldier, “my country’s” the cry,
    I’ll fly to defend her and conquer or die;
    The land of my childhood my love and my tears;
    The land of my birth and my early sunny years
  3. I’ll be a soldier, and when we have won,
    I’ll come back to thee with my knapsack and gun,
    I’ll come with a true heart and kiss off each tear,
    And linger beside thee forever Jenny dear

Sung here by Vancha March: