The Philippine Soldier

 This very original ballad was written by Michael Sugrue of Coolnaharrigal, Mountain stage. It is thought Herbert Hughes collected in Glenbeigh from Tomasheen Griffin  circa 1935/36. The song appears in ‘Irish Country Songs’ Vol. IV Other songs collected in Kerry also appear in this volume and are arranged for voice and piano by Herbert Hughes. The publisher was Boosey & Hawkes.

You lads and lasses listen for a while

And I’ll sing you a ditty that will cause you to smile

Of a lass from Clare and a Dingle boy,

And they called him the Philippine soldier.

It was at Puck fair that these two met

On his way from Liverpool he was bent,

They drank away to their hearts content

Herself and her Philippine soldier.

He told her some tales about the Philippines,

And in all the battles he had been,

The Battle of San Diego and San Juan,

This roguish old Philippine soldier.

She says my young hero, you have won my heart,

My gold you can have, if you’ll only start

And away to America we both will start,

Myself and my Philippine soldier.

  They went to Queenstown in a few days

And booked the good ship New Brunswick there

They sailed away across the sea (say)

Herself and her Philippine soldier.

When they landed in Boston we were told here around,

They were going to be married in some church of renown,

She counted every cent of her money right down,

And away fled her Philippine soldier.

Now she is moaning and tearing her hair,

Her money’s all gone, and the soldier’s not there,

And Old Nick himself ’ll hold him up in his snare,

This goddam old Philippine soldier.