The Pretty Young Soldier

There are two young lovers
They're pledged to each other's hands
They meet by the river
To talk of their marriage plans
"I'm confessing, " he said
"I've signed for a soldier
I'm leaving tomorrow for some foreign land. "

She watches the pretty young soldiers
As they march themselves off to the war
She wonders if she'll ever see him again
Somehow she doubts it
But she has to be sure

So she rode into town on the very next day
And dressed herself up all in man's array
With a sword and a musket
She took the king's shilling
And to fight in some foreign war
She said, "yes! " she'd be willing

All you pretty young soldiers
In those uniforms that you've never worn
The captain will come to inspect you all now
"let me down and you'll all wish
You'd never been born. "

The captain astride
Of his horse's grey flanks
Pulls the pretty young soldier
From out of the ranks
His gaze it is fixed
And she's starting to shake
He said, "follow me soldier
And listen to the offer
That I'm willing to make. "

"come you pretty young soldier
Come and be my right hand
You're having this strange effect on my soul
That I don't quite understand. "

"captain, oh captain
I've a confession to make
I love someone else
And my heart it will break. "
And as she released her brown hair from a band
It tumbled all down her shoulders
And into his hands

"oh you pretty young soldier
Come and take my right hand
You're having this strange effect on my soul
And now I think, I understand. "