As I was walking down the road,
A feeling fine and larky oh!
A recruiting Sergeant came up to me,
Says he "You'd look fine in khaki, oh!
For the King he is in need of men,
Come read this proclamation oh!
A life in Flanders for you then,
Would be a fine vacation now."

"That maybe so," says I to him,
"But tell me sergent Dearie-oh!
If I had a pack stuck upon me back,
Would I look fine and cheerie oh!
For they'd have you train and drill until
They had you one of Frenchies oh!
It maybe warm in Flanders,
But it's draughty in the trenches oh!"

The Sergeant smiled and winked his eye,
His smile was most provoking oh!
He twiddled and twirled his wee moustache,
Says he, "I know your only joking oh!
For the sandbags are so warm and high,
The wind you won't feel blowing oh!"
Well I winked at a colleen passing by,
Says I, "What if it's snowing oh!"

"Come rain or hail or wind or snow,
I'm not going out to Flanders oh!
There's fighting in Dublin to be done.
Let your Sergeants and Commanders go.
Let Englishmen fight English wars,
It's nearly time they started oh!
I salute the Sergeant a very good night!"
And there and then we parted oh!