Arthur and cousin
Won’t fight in France. They clobber
The draft recruiter.
This is an old Irish (or Scottish? British?) ballad, perhaps from the 17th century or later, that appears on the 1992 folk song covers album "Good As I Been to You." British recruiters approach Arthur and his cousin on the beach as they walk on Christmas morning, and tell them how wonderful life is in the military and how they should suit up and go fight in France. Arthur and cousin don't take so well to the idea, whereupon the Brits replace cajolery with threats of stabbing them to death with their swords. Arthur and cousin express their desire for pacifism by beating the Brits with their shillelaghs and throwing the little drummer boy's drum and the other soldiers' swords into the sea.
Hello there Robert, thank you for posting this analysis of a song. Come and join us inside Bob Dylan's Music Box http://thebobdylanproject.com/Song/id/35/Arthur-McBride and listen to every song composed, recorded or performed by Bob Dylan.
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