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Troopin'

from Rudyard Kipling 3 by Toby Darling

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lyrics

Troopin' (Rudyard Kipling)

(Old English Army in the East)

E G A E
TROOPIN', troopin', troopin' to the sea:
F#m Bm A E
'Ere 's September come again — the six-year men are free.
G D A Bm
O leave the dead be'ind us, for they cannot come away
Em G A Bm
To where the ship 's a-coalin' up that takes us 'ome to-day.

Em A Em A
We 're goin' 'ome, we 're goin' 'ome,
Em D
Our ship is at the shore,
Em
An' you must pack your 'aversack,
F#7
For we won't come back no more.
G Bm
Ho, don't you grieve for me,
A F#7
My lovely Mary-Ann,
Bm A
For I'll marry you yit on a fourp'ny bit
G F#7
As a time-expired man.

The Malabar's in 'arbour with the Jumner at 'er tail,
An' the time-expired 's waitin' of 'is orders for to sail.
Ho ! the weary waitin' when on Khyber 'ills we lay,
But the time-expired 's waitin' of 'is orders 'ome to-day.

They'll turn us out at Portsmouth wharf in cold an' wet an' rain,
All wearin' Injian cotton kit, but we will not complain.
They'll kill us of pneumonia — for that 's their little way —
But damn the chills and fever, men, we 're goin' 'ome to-day!

Troopin', troopin', winter's round again !
See the new draf 's pourin' in for the old campaign;
Ho, you poor recruities, but you've got to earn your pay —
What's the last from Lunnon, lads? We're goin' there to-day.

Troopin', troopin', give another cheer —
'Ere's to English women an' a quart of English beer.
The Colonel an' the regiment an' all who've got to stay,
Gawd's mercy strike 'em gentle — Whoop ! we 're goin' 'ome to-day.
We 're goin' 'ome, we 're goin' 'ome,
Our ship is at the shore,
An' you must pack your 'aversack,
For we won't come back no more.
Ho, don't you grieve for me,
My lovely Mary-Ann,
For I'll marry you yit on a fourp'ny bit
As a time-expired man.

credits

from Rudyard Kipling 3, released April 22, 2016

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Toby Darling image

Toby Darling Penang, Malaysia

Amateur enthusiast.
Feel free to do anything you want with these tracks, I am not interested in making money from music.

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