Annotation:Old Soldier (2) (The)

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OLD SOLDIER (WITH A WOODEN LEG) [2], THE. AKA and see "Red Haired Boy (The)," "Wooden Leg." Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, West Virginia. A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. A version of the "Gilderoy" tune family, taking its name from one set of lyrics (given below) for the tune. See Bayard's (1944) note for "Gilderoy [2]" (Guilderoy) for more information.

Two disabled veterans drinking in a tavern; one has a wooden leg, the other has no arms

There was an old soldier and he had a wooden leg,
He had no tobacco and tobacco he would beg.
Says this old soldier: "Won't you give me a chew?"
Says t'other old soldier: "I'll be darned if I do." .... (Ford)

Also, another set of lyrics:

Oh, there was a little hen and she had a wooden foot,
And she laid her eggs in the mulberry root.
She laid more eggs than any hen on the farm,
Another little drink wouldn't do us any harm.

Chorus:
Save up your money, and save up your chalk,
And you'll always have tobacco in your old tobacco box. .... (Ford)

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; p. 38.

Recorded sources:

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