Caroline Lavelle - Banks of the Nile Lyrics
Oh hark, the drums do beat my loveI can no longer stayThe bugle horns are sounding clearAnd I must march awayWe are ordered down to portsmouthAnd it's many's the weary mileTo join the british army, along the banks of the nileOh willie, dearest willieDon't leave me here to mournDon't make me curse and rue the dayThat ever I was bornFor the parting of our loveWould be like parting with my lifeSo stay at home my dearest loveAnd I will be your wifeOh nancy, darling nancySure that would never doThe government has orderedAnd we are bound to goThe government has orderedAnd the queen she gives commandAnd I am bound on oath, my loveTo serve in a foreign landOh, then I'll cut off my long hairAnd I'll go along with youI'll dress myself in uniform & I'll see egypt tooI'll march beneath your bannerWhile fortune she do smileAnd we'll comfort one anotherAlong the banks of the nileBut your waist it is too slenderYour fingers they're too smallThe cruel sun of egypt your rosy cheeks would spoilWell the cannons they do rattleAnd the bullets they do flyAnd the silver trumpets sound so loudTo hide the dismal criesOh, then cursed be those cruel warsSince ever they beganFor they have robbed our country of many's the handsome manThey have robbed us of our sweetheartsWhile their bodies they feed the lionsOn the dry & sandy desertsWhich are the banks of the nile
