The Jacket So Blue

A reg'ment of soldiers came down from Yorkshire,
From Yorkshire into Bradford, and from Bradford down here
There were one land amongst them I wish I never knew,
For my heart went away with his jacket so blue

Early next morning this fair maiden rose,
Called for her servant to dress on her clothes:
"Come dress on my clothes the best you can do,
I'm going to seek a young man with a jacket so blue."

Early next morning I stepped on the Strand,
Met a gallant and brave soldier with a gun in his hand;
I tried to speak to him, but from me he flew,
My heart went away with his jacket so blue.

Says I, "Honored stranger, I'll buy your discharge,
I'll free you from the army, set you at large,
Free you from the army, if to me you'll prove true
And I'll ne'er put a stain on your jacket so blue."

Says he, "Honored lady, if you'd buy my discharge,
If you'd free me from the army, set me at large,
If you'd free me from the army, if to you I'd prove true,
What in the world would my Scotch lassie do?

"I have a little girl in my own counteree,
I'll not forsake her for your propertee,
Although she's a poor girl, to me she'll prove true,
And she'll ne'er put a stain on my jacket so blue."

" Well, there's one thing that I'll ask of you.
I want my love's likeness in a whole suit of blue
To hang in my bedroom, more grief to renew,
My heart goes away with your jacket so blue."

"I'll send down to London for a lad, he'll take two,
You shall have my likeness in a full suit of blue,
Hang it up in your bedroom, more grief to renew
If your heart goes away with my jacket so blue "

From Folk Songs of the Catskills, Cazden Haufrecht and Studer
Collected from George Edwards
RG