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The Girl I Left Behind

from A Carousel for Fools by The Mather Robinson Band

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about

One day we came upon an extremely old hard-back book of song lyrics optimistically entitled, “Songs That Will Live Forever”. Needless to say – they didn’t; or so we thought at the time. However, within the pages was a beautiful set of lyrics about a worldly traveller fondly remembering the sweetheart he left behind. So with a fair bit of re-writing we managed to fit them to our own melody and write this song. Only later did we discover that the lyrics were actually from a very old military march with a refrain which has survived and is popular to the present day. So we wove something of that refrain into our new tune and voila! One spooky footnote; in the lyrics tweaking we decided to make the traveller a soldier and place him at the eve of the battle of Waterloo. We discovered later that the original marching song was extremely popular during the Napoleonic wars and was very likely being sung by British soldiers as they marched toward the very battle in question. Oo-er!

lyrics

I’m lonely since I crossed the hill from where I left my county
With heavy thoughts my heart does fill the further I do roam
For as I seek to make my way, each day more reminds me
How pleasantly the hours did pass away - With the girl I left behind me

I never shall forget that night the stars were bright and shining
And gently lent their silvery glow to light me on my road
But now I’m bound for Waterloo. I pray God’s great design be
To bring me safe back home once more - to the girl I left behind me

Her golden hair in ringlets fair
Her eyes like sparkling diamonds shone
A fairer lass in all the world - no man gazed upon
Ye Gods above oh hear my prayer - to life’s temptations blind me
But guide me safe back home again to the girl I left behind me

I’ve felt the force, the raging storm of life’s great adventure
The crashing waves now cease to roar - I’ve drank to my fill
Release me from this battlefield. Transport me and confine me
With the fairest maid of all - The girl I left behind me

Her golden hair in ringlets fair
Her eyes like sparkling diamonds shone
A fairer lass in all the world - no man gazed upon
Ye Gods above oh hear my prayer - to life’s temptations blind me
But guide me safe back home again to the girl I left behind me

So if I don’t answer to the roll don’t seek for me - you’ll find me
Safe home in the warm embrace - of the girl I left behind me

Her golden hair in ringlets fair
Her eyes like sparkling diamonds shone
A fairer lass in all the world - no man gazed upon
So if I don’t answer to the roll - don’t seek for me - you’ll find me
Safe home in the warm embrace - of the girl I left behind me

credits

from A Carousel for Fools, released June 21, 2015
Traditional abridged and adapted by Mather & Robinson

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about

The Mather Robinson Band Salford, UK

Dave Mather and Pete Robinson grew up together in the north of England in the nineteen sixties and have been writing and performing music individually and as a team ever since. From Opera to rock to pop and now back to their roots in folk music. Mather & Robinson entertain audiences in the north west of England but if you ask them - they will hummmm. ... more

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