The Drum Major
Printed and Sold by J. Pitts 14 Great St. Andrew Street, Seven Dials
Come listen to my story so plainly you shall hear,
Concerning a damsel that follow’d the drum
In search of her true love to Flanders she is gone,
Her arms were long and slender, her fingers long and small.
By the beating of the drum, she excell’d them all,
By the beating of the drum great honor she’s got
And now’s she’s Drum Major and carries the sword.
Just in the midst of battle where many one did fall
she fought with such courage she excell’d them all,
she fought with such courage on every degree,
Though never a one took her a woman for to be.
As she was washing in yonder pool so deep
A soldier from the garrison so softly did creep,
At the side of the pumper and there he did lie,
Is this our Drum Major the soldier did cry,
When laughing at the jest, and regaling at the fun,
I wish you would learn me to beat upon your drum
You are not practiced the Major then did say
So she was exposed that very same day.
He went unto his officers, Colonels & all
And telling them the ditty and how it did befal,
Our Drum Major is a woman so plainly shall see,
Tho never a one took her a woman for to be,
The Major was called for to come in great haste
To speak with her officers, and colonels and all,
You listed voluntary or was you betray’d
Or was it for your sweet heart come now let us hear,
I have served seven years in the reigiment foot,
I listed voluntarily and so I came here,
And it was for Jack Line, our young Grenadier,
They drest her in her in silks and sattins so fine,
She shined like an angel of all beauty bright,
When ever he saw her he flew to her arms
And said she had millions of charms.
*Transcriber’s note: Dugaw’s catalogue contains multiple variants of this ballad; this is the first of the variants listed. To review other variants of this ballad, please consult the Dugaw catalogue.
ECCO Gale Document Number: CW3313318697
ECCO Gale Document Number: CB3331344936
ECCO Gale Document Number: CW3310471188
ESTC Citation Number: T41467
ESTC Citation Number: T300160
ESTC Citation Number: T41468
ESTC Citation Number: T31616
ESTC Citation Number: T331617