June Tabor - Plains of Waterloo lyrics

As I rode out one fine summer's morning
Down by the gay banks
Of a clear pearling stream
There I spied a handsome fair
Maid making sad lamentations
Oh, I threw myself in ambush
To hear her sad strains

Through the woods she marched along
Caused the valleys to ring-o
The fine feathered songsters around
Her they flew
Saying, "The wars they are all over
And peace it is restored again
But yet my Willie's not returning
From the plains of Waterloo"

Well, I stepped up to this
Fair maid and said, "My fond creature
Oh, may I make so bold as
To ask your true love's name?
For it's I've been in battle where
The cannons around a rattle
And by some strange fortune I
Might have known the same"
"Willie Smith me true love's name is
Hero of great fame
He's gone and he's left me in sorrow
It's true
No one shall me enjoy but me own darling boy
But yet he's not returning from
The plains of Waterloo"

"Well, if Willie Smith's your
True love's name, he's a hero of great fame
He and I have been in battle
Through many's the long campaign
Through Italy and Russia
Through Germany and PRussia
Oh, he was me loyal comrade
Through France and through Spain"

"Until at length by the
French we were surrounded
Like the heroes of old we did them subdue
We did fight for three days
Until we did defeat him
That brave Napoleon Boney on
The plains of Waterloo"

"Now the eighteenth day of June
It is end of that battle
Leaving many's the bold hero to
Sigh and to mourn
Oh, the war drums they did beat
And the cannons around did rattle
It was by a French soldier
Your Willie he was slain"

"And as I passed by there
Where he lay a-bleeding
Oh, I scarcely had time for to bid him adieu
In a faltering voice these
Words he was repeating
Fare thee well, me lovely Annie
You are far from Waterloo"

Now when this lovely fair maid
Heard this sad acclamation
Oh, but her rosy cheeks turned pale and wan
And when I saw this fair
Maid making sad lamentations
Oh, I said, "Me lovely Annie
I am that very one"

"And here is the ring that
Was broken between us
In the midst of all danger, love
To remind me of you"
And when she saw the token
She fell into me arms crying
"You're welcome, dearest Willie
From the plains of Waterloo"