She will go to war
Because she loves her soldier.
First they get married.
Remember the scene in "History of the World, Part One" when Madeleine Kahn makes her selection of Roman studs for an evening of partying with the Vestal Virgins? Mary of "Mary and the Soldier" pursues her quest for a man with similar elan. Bob Dylan's version appears on the deluxe edition of volume 8 of the Bootleg Series:
Come all you lads of high renown that will hear of a fair young maiden
And she roved out on a summer's day for to view the soldier's parading
They march so bold and they look so gay
The colours fine and the bands did play
And it caused young Mary for to say
"I'll wed you me gallant soldier"
She viewed the soldiers on parade and as they stood at their leisure
And Mary to herself did say: "At last I find my treasure
But oh how cruel my parents must be
To banish my true love away from me
Well I'll leave them all and I'll go with thee
Me bold and undaunted soldier"
"Oh Mary dear, your parents' love I pray don't be unruly
For when you're in a foreign land, believe you rue it surely
Perhaps in battle I might fall
From a shot from an angry cannonball
And you're so far from your daddy's hall
Be advised by a gallant soldier."
"Oh I have fifty guineas in right gold, likewise a hearth that's burning
And I'd leave them all and I'd go with you me bold undaunted soldier
So don't say no but let me go
And I will face the daring foe
And we'll march together to and fro
And I'll wed you, my gallant soldier"
And when he saw her loyalty and Mary so true-hearted
He said: "Me darling, married we'll be and nothing but death will part us
And when we're in a foreign land
I'll guard you, darling, with my right hand
And hopes that God might stand a friend
With Mary and her gallant soldier"
I can't find Dylan's version so I'll give you this excellent one by Paul Brady:
Because she loves her soldier.
First they get married.
Remember the scene in "History of the World, Part One" when Madeleine Kahn makes her selection of Roman studs for an evening of partying with the Vestal Virgins? Mary of "Mary and the Soldier" pursues her quest for a man with similar elan. Bob Dylan's version appears on the deluxe edition of volume 8 of the Bootleg Series:
Come all you lads of high renown that will hear of a fair young maiden
And she roved out on a summer's day for to view the soldier's parading
They march so bold and they look so gay
The colours fine and the bands did play
And it caused young Mary for to say
"I'll wed you me gallant soldier"
She viewed the soldiers on parade and as they stood at their leisure
And Mary to herself did say: "At last I find my treasure
But oh how cruel my parents must be
To banish my true love away from me
Well I'll leave them all and I'll go with thee
Me bold and undaunted soldier"
"Oh Mary dear, your parents' love I pray don't be unruly
For when you're in a foreign land, believe you rue it surely
Perhaps in battle I might fall
From a shot from an angry cannonball
And you're so far from your daddy's hall
Be advised by a gallant soldier."
"Oh I have fifty guineas in right gold, likewise a hearth that's burning
And I'd leave them all and I'd go with you me bold undaunted soldier
So don't say no but let me go
And I will face the daring foe
And we'll march together to and fro
And I'll wed you, my gallant soldier"
And when he saw her loyalty and Mary so true-hearted
He said: "Me darling, married we'll be and nothing but death will part us
And when we're in a foreign land
I'll guard you, darling, with my right hand
And hopes that God might stand a friend
With Mary and her gallant soldier"
I can't find Dylan's version so I'll give you this excellent one by Paul Brady:
Hello there Robert, Thank you for posting this analysis of a song from Bob Dylan's Music Box: http://thebobdylanproject.com/Song/id/399/Mary-and-The-Soldier Come and join us inside and listen to every song composed, recorded or performed by Bob Dylan, plus all the great covers streaming on YouTube, Spotify, Deezer and SoundCloud plus so much more... including this link.
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