The hours sad I left a maid
A lingering farewell taking
Whose sighs and tears my steps delayed
I thought her heart was breaking
In hurried words her name I blest
I breathed the vows that bind me
And to my heart in anguish pressed
The girl I left behind me
A lingering farewell taking
Whose sighs and tears my steps delayed
I thought her heart was breaking
In hurried words her name I blest
I breathed the vows that bind me
And to my heart in anguish pressed
The girl I left behind me
Then to the east we bore away
To win a name in story
And there where dawns the sun of day
There dawned our sun of glory
The place in my sight
When in the host assigned me
I shared the glory of that fight
Sweet girl I left behind me
To win a name in story
And there where dawns the sun of day
There dawned our sun of glory
The place in my sight
When in the host assigned me
I shared the glory of that fight
Sweet girl I left behind me
Though many a name our banner bore
Of former deeds of daring
But they were of the day of yore
In which we had no sharing
But now our laurels freshly won
With the old one shall entwine me
Singing worthy of our size each son
Sweet girl I left behind me
Of former deeds of daring
But they were of the day of yore
In which we had no sharing
But now our laurels freshly won
With the old one shall entwine me
Singing worthy of our size each son
Sweet girl I left behind me
The hope of final victory
Within my bosom burning
Is mingling with sweet thoughts of thee
And of my fond returning
But should I ne'er return again
Still with thy love I'll bind me
Dishonors breath shall never stain
The name I leave behind me
Within my bosom burning
Is mingling with sweet thoughts of thee
And of my fond returning
But should I ne'er return again
Still with thy love I'll bind me
Dishonors breath shall never stain
The name I leave behind me
song info:
Verified yes
LanguageEnglish
GenreEthnic/Folk
Rank−
Duration
Charts
Copyright ©
Writer
Lyrics licensed byLyricFind
AddedApril 21st, 2018
Last updatedMarch 7th, 2022
AboutThe words of The Girl I Left Behind were first printed in Ireland in the late eighteenth century. The tune is frequently used to accompany Morris Dancing in England, where it is known as 'Brighton Camp' (Brighton is a city on the South Coast of England, noted for its Gay community, so this has become an unintentionally funny title). It was used as a marching song by the U.S. army from the early nineteenth century onwards, and is particularly associated with the American civil war, in which both sides sang their own version, each with adapted lyrics. It's easy to see why soldiers would have been drawn to this song with its focus on the proverbial girl left at home.
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