Soldier’s Joy

Lyrics by Joe Magie

Copyright 2011 Joe Magie,  all Rights Reserved

4/4   100   G

Part A

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Part B

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Some [1] rebel soldiers on a night bivouac

Were playing stud poker in a [5] mountain shack

But all [1] thought of cards just passed a- way

When the captain walked [5]  in and they [1] heard him say

 

The gals in Washington are dancing tonight

Those gull darn blue coats are [5] holding ‘em tight

When [1] we get there we’ll show them how

But it aint a’ [5] doing us [1] no good now

 

Oh Jimmy get your fiddle out and [4] rosin up your bow

[1] Johnny tune up your [5] old ban- jo____

 [1] Billy get a jug of that [4] real McCoy

And we’ll [1] have us a [5] tune called [1] Soldier’s Joy

 

Now Jimmy’s sure sawin that [4] fiddle with his bow

And [1] Johnny’s sure clawwin’ on his [5] old ban- jo

[1] Billy’s passin round that [4] real McCoy

And they’re [1]  playin a [5] tune called  [1] Soldier’s Joy

 

Break

 

The Yank’s came a’ chargin across Bull run

Yellin and a’screamin’ and [5] shootin their guns,

A [1] lot of rebel soldiers be- gan to fall

But Jackson held his [5] ground like an [1] old stone wall

 

Stonewall Jackson was Lee’s right hand

And everyone knows was a [5] fightin’  man

But [1] he was wounded at Chancellorville

And when he [5] died,  the whole [1] South took  ill

 

Oh Jimmy get your fiddle out and [4] rosin up your bow

[1] Johnny tune up your [5] old ban- jo____

 [1] Billy get a jug of that [4] real McCoy

And we’ll [1] have us a [5] tune called [1] Soldier’s Joy

 

Now Jimmy’s sure sawin that [4] fiddle with his bow

And [1] Johnny’s sure clawwin’ on his [5] old ban- jo

[1] Billy’s passin round that [4] real McCoy

And they’re [1]  all playin a [5] tune called  [1] Soldier’s Joy

 

Now there goes General Robert E. Lee

Ridin’ up front for [5] all to see

His [1] bare foot boys are begging to fight

They’re all a’ [5] marchin’ to [1] Gettysburg tonight

 

That long grey line charged  cemetery hill

The blue line held and [5] broke their will
[1] Many boys fell, both blue and grey,

And some say [5] Lee’s heart [1] broke that day

 

Now Jimmy’s not there to [4] rosin up his bow

And [1] Johnny will never again [5] play  banjo

[1] Billy’s lyin’ dead with a [4] lot of other boy’s

And there’s [1] no one [5] left to play [1] Soldier’s Joy

 

Boys, blue and grey all [4] screamin’ in pain

[1] Many will never see their [5] homes a- gain

They’re [1] prayin for relief but there’s [4] none to employ

And [1] everyone’s [5] cryin’ for [1]  Soldier’s Joy

 

Break

 

Now Lee kept fightin and battled hard

But the Yankees pushed him to his [5] own back yard

And when  [1] Sherman made his march to the sea

That spelled the [5] end of the [1] South and Lee

 

It took many  years for the pain to pass

But battlefields slowly [5] covered with grass

Them that [1] made it home began to live a- gain

And some even [5] managed to [1] pick and grin.

 

Oh Daddy get your fiddle out and [4] rosin up your bow

[1] Gramps tune up your old [5] ban- jo____

[1] I’ll get a jug of that [4] real McCoy

And we’ll [1] have us a [5] tune called [1] Soldier’s Joy

 

Now Daddy’s sure sawin that [4] fiddle with his bow

And [1] Gramp’s sure clawwin’ on his [5] old ban- jo

[1] I’m passin round that [4] real McCoy

And we’re [1]  playin a [5] tune called  [1] Soldier’s Joy

 

break


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