#393 - Cheer, Boys, Cheer

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• Composer:
  • Henry Russell (1812-1900), 1846
• Also known as:
  • Song of the Southern Boys
  • Southern Boys
  • Morgan's War Song
• MIDI | show
  
• Incipit: 3332156365333343212
• Condensed Incipit: 32156365343212
• Incipit: 13131321563651313133432172 (with accompaniment)
• Condensed Incipit: 1313132156365131313432172 (with accompaniment)
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• Lyrics:
  Cheer, boys, cheer! No more of idle sorrow;
  Courage! true heats shall bear us on our way;
  Hope points before and shows a bright tomorrow,
  Let us forget the darkness of today.
  
  chorus:
  Then cheer, boys, cheer! for England, mother England,
  Cheer boys cheer, for the willing strong right hand;
  Cheer, boys, cheer! There's wealth in honest labor;
  Cheer, boys, cheer for the new and happy land.
  
  Then farewell, England, much as we may love thee,
  We'll dry the tears that we have shed before;
  We'll not weep to sail in search of fortune;
  Then farewell, England, farewell evermore.
  
  
  • English version, Charles Mackay (1814-1889), 1846
• Lyrics:
  Bring forth the flag, our country's noble standard;
  Wave it on high till the wind shakes each fold out.
  Proudly it floats, nobly waving in the vanguard;
  Then cheer, boys, cheer! with a lusty, long, bold shout.
  
  chorus:
  Cheer, boys, cheer! We'll march away to battle!
  Cheer, boys, cheer, for our sweethearts and our wives!
  Cheer, boys, cheer! We'll nobly do our duty,
  And give to the South our hearts, our arms, our lives.
  
  But as we march, with heads all lowly bending,
  Let us implore a blessing from on high.
  Our cause is just, the right we're defending,
  And the God of battle will listen to our cry.
  Cheer, boys, cheer! We'll march away to battle!
  
  Tho' to the homes we never may return,
  Ne'er press again our lov'd ones in our arms,
  O'er our lone graves their faithful hearts will mourn,
  Then cheer, boys, cheer! such death hath no alarms.
  
  
  • Confederate version, attributed to George St. Leger Grenfell (1808-1868)