Caroline Lavelle - Banks Of The Nile lyrics

"Oh hark, the drums do beat my love
I can no longer stay
The bugle horns are sounding clear
And I must march away
We are ordered down to Portsmouth
And it's many's the weary mile
To join the British army
Along the banks of the Nile"

"Oh Willie dearest Willie
Don't leave me here to mourn
Don't make me curse and rue the
Day that ever I was born
For the parting of our love would be
Like parting with my life -
So stay at home my dearest love
And I will be your wife"

"Oh Nancy darling Nancy
Sure that would never do
The government has ordered and we
Are bound to go
The government has ordered and the
Queen she gives command
And I am bound on oath my love
To serve in a foreign land"

"Oh then I'll cut off my long hair
And I'll go along with you
I'll dress myself in uniform and
I'll see Egypt too
I'll march beneath your banner while
Fortune she do smile
And we'll comfort one another along
The banks of the Nile"

"But, your waist it is too slender
Your fingers they're too small
The cruel sun of Egypt your
Rosy cheeks would spoil
Well the cannons they do rattle and
The bullets they do fly
And the silver trumpets sound so loud
To hide the dismal cries"

"Oh then cursed be those cruel
Wars since ever they began
For they have robbed our country
Of many's the handsome man
They have robbed us of our sweethearts
While their bodies they feed the lions
On the dry and sandy deserts
Which are the banks of the Nile"