Landlady of France

A landlady of France loved an officer, 'tis said
And the officer he dearly loved his brandy, O.
Now said she "I dearly love this officer, tho' his nose is red
And his legs are what the regiment calls bandy-o.

But when this bandy officer was ordered to the coast,
Then she tore her lovely locks that looked so sandy, O
"Now goodbye, my love," said she, "when you write please pay the post,
But before we part we'll take a drop of brandy-o."

"Take a bottle of it with you," to the officer she said,
"In your tent, you know, my love will be the dandy-o"
"You're right, my dear," said he, "for a tent is very damp
And 'tis better in my tent to take some brandy-o"

So she filled him up a bumper just before he left the town,
With another for herself so neat and handy-o.
And to keep their droopin' spirits up the poured the spirits down,
For love is like the colic, cured with brandy-o.

from Lost Chords (Gilbert). Reportedly sung on the vaudville stage in the
1860's and 70's by the Carroll Family. Apparently the song was popular some
hundred years earlier, because it was parodied at least twice during the
American Revolutionary War. See also The Constitution and the Guerriere

RG