Lyrics of 'Recruited Collier' by Dick Gaughan

What's the matter wi you, my lass, and where's your dashing Jimmie?
The soldier boys have taen him up and sent him far, far from me
Last payday he went off to town and them redcoated fellows
Enticed him in and made him drunk and he'd better gone to the gallows
The very sight of his cockade, it set us all a-crying
And me, I nearly fainted twice, I thought that I was dying

My father would have paid the smart and he ran for the golden guinea
But the sergeant swore he'd kissed the book and now they've got young Jimmie
When Jimmie talks about the wars it's worse than death to hear him
I have to go and hide my face because I cannot bear him
A brigadier or grenadier he says they're bound to make him
And aye he laughs and cracks his jokes and bids me not forsake him

As I walked o'er the stubble fields below it runs the seam
I thought of Jimmie hewing there but it was all a dream
He hewed the very coals we burn and when the fire I'm lighting
To think the coals was in his hands, it sets my heart a -beating
So break my heart and then it's o'er, then break my heart my dearie
And lay me in the cold, cold ground for of single life I'm weary