Misc Traditional – The Kerry Recruit (Guitar)
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Chords
[Verse 1]
G D7 G At the age of nineteen I was diggin' the land, A7 D With me brogues on me feet and me spade in me hand, G Bm "Oh," says I to meself, "What a pity to see, Em D Such a fine Kerry lad diggin' spuds in Tralee."
[Chorus]
G Em With me kerry-ay-ay, fa la de ral lay, D G Kerry ay-ay, fa la de ral lay.
[Verse 2]
G D7 G So I buttered me brogues and shook hands with me spade, A7 D And went off to the fair like a dashing young blade, G Bm A sergeant comes up and says, "Will ye enlist?" Em D "Sure, sergeant," says I, "slip the bob in me fist!"
[Chorus]
G Em With me kerry-ay-ay, fa la de ral lay, D G Kerry ay-ay, fa la de ral lay.
[Verse 3]
G D7 G Then up steps the captain, a man of great fame, A7 D And straightway he asks me my country and name. G Bm "I've told ye before, and I tell ye again, Em D Me father and mother were two Kerry men."
[Chorus]
G Em With me kerry-ay-ay, fa la de ral lay, D G Kerry ay-ay, fa la de ral lay.
[Verse 4]
G D7 G The first thing they gave me, it was a red coat, A7 D With a lump of black leather to tie round me throat. G Bm The next thing they gave me, says I, "What is that?" Em D "Sure man, a cockade for to stick in yer hat."
[Chorus]
G Em With me kerry-ay-ay, fa la de ral lay, D G Kerry ay-ay, fa la de ral lay.
[Verse 5]
G D7 G The next thing they gave me they called it a gun, A7 D And under the trigger I settled me thumb, G Bm The gun it belched fire and vomited smoke, Em D And gave me poor shoulder the devil's own stroke.
[Chorus]
G Em With me kerry-ay-ay, fa la de ral lay, D G Kerry ay-ay, fa la de ral lay.
[Verse 6]
G D7 G The next thing they gave me they called it a horse, A7 D With a saddle and bridle me two legs across. G Bm So I gave it the bit and I gave it the steel, Em D And, Holy Mother! she went like an eel!
[Chorus]
G Em With me kerry-ay-ay, fa la de ral lay, D G Kerry ay-ay, fa la de ral lay.
[Verse 7]
G D7 G Now the first place they took us was down to the sea, A7 D Aboard a great ship bound for the Crimee. G Bm With three sticks in the middle all hung with white sheets, Em D She walked on the water without any feet.
[Chorus]
G Em With me kerry-ay-ay, fa la de ral lay, D G Kerry ay-ay, fa la de ral lay.
[Verse 8]
G D7 G We reached the Balaclave all safe and sound, A7 D And hungry and weary we lay on the ground, G Bm Next morning at daybreak a bugle did call, Em D And served us a breakfast of powder and ball.
[Chorus]
G Em With me kerry-ay-ay, fa la de ral lay, D G Kerry ay-ay, fa la de ral lay.
[Verse 9]
G D7 G We licked them at Alma and then Innerman, A7 D But the Russians they foiled us at the Redan, G Bm While scaling the ramparts meself lost an eye, Em D And a great Russian bullet ran away with me thigh,
[Chorus]
G Em With me kerry-ay-ay, fa la de ral lay, D G Kerry ay-ay, fa la de ral lay.
[Verse 10]
G D7 G All bleeding and dying I lay on the ground, A7 D With arms, legs and feet all scattered around, G Bm Says I to meself, "If me father were nigh, Em D He'd have buried me now just in case I should die."
[Chorus]
G Em With me kerry-ay-ay, fa la de ral lay, D G Kerry ay-ay, fa la de ral lay.
[Verse 11]
G D7 G But a surgeon comes by and he soon stops the blood, A7 D And he gave me an iligant leg made of wood, G Bm And they made me a pension of ten pence a day, Em D And contented with shellocks I live on half pay.
[Chorus]
G Em With me kerry-ay-ay, fa la de ral lay, D G Kerry ay-ay, fa la de ral lay.