[Verse]
    
A recruiting s

ergeant came o

ur way
        
From an inn ne

ar town at the

 close of day
   
He said my Joh

nny you're a f

ine young man
             
Would you like

              
 to march alon

           
g behind a mil

itary band
             
With a scarlet

            
 coat and a fi

ne cocked hat
            
And a musket a

       
t your shoulde

r
            
The shilling h

             
e took and he 

          
kissed the boo

k
            
Oh poor Johnny

            
 what'll happe

  
n to ya?

      
The recruiting

 sergeant marc

hed away
         
From the Inn n

ear town at th

e break of day

Johnny came to

o with half a 

ring
             
He was off to 

              
be a soldier t

     
o go fighting 

for the King
             
In a far off w

        
ar in a far of

f land
            
To face the fo

      
reign soldier
            
But how will y

             
ou fare when t

             
here's lead in

     
 the air
            
Oh poor Johnny

            
 what'll happe

  
n to ya?

         
Well the sun r

ose high on a 

barren land
          
Where the thin

 red line made

 a military st

and
          
There was slin

g shot, chain 

shot, grape sh

ot too
             
Swords and bay

      
onets thrustin

g through
             
Poor Johnny fe

           
ll but the day

 was won
            
And the King i

           
s grateful to 

ya
            
But your soldi

             
ering's done a

             
nd they're sen

         
ding you home
            
Oh poor Johnny

            
 what'll happe

  
n to ya?

     
They said he w

as a hero and 

not to grieve
        
For the two ru

ined legs and 

the empty slee

ve
     
They took him 

home and they 

set him down
             
With a militar

              
y pension and 

  
a medal from t

he crown
             
But you haven'

              
t an arm, you 


haven't a leg
            
The enemy near

   
ly slew ya
            
You'll have to

             
 go out on the

           
 streets to be

g
            
Oh poor Johnny

            
 what'll happe

  
n to ya?

[Verse]
    
A recruiting s

ergeant came o

ur way
        
From an inn ne

ar town at the

 close of day
   
He said my Joh

nny you're a f

ine young man
             
Would you like

              
 to march alon

           
g behind a mil

itary band
             
With a scarlet

            
 coat and a fi

ne cocked hat
            
And a musket a

       
t your shoulde

r
            
The shilling h

             
e took and he 

          
kissed the boo

k
            
Oh poor Johnny

            
 what'll happe

  
n to ya?

            
O Polly love, 

            
O Polly, the r

             
oute has now b

egun
             
And we must go

            
 a-marching to

             
 the beating o

   
f a drum

Come dress yourself all in your best and come along with me
            
I'll take you 

             
to the cruel w

             
ars in High Ge

    
rmany

            
O Harry, deare

             
st Harry, mind

             
 well what I d

  
o say
             
My feet they a

            
re so tender a

             
nd I cannot ma

    
rch away

Besides, my dearest Harry, I am with child by thee
            
Not fitted for

             
 the cruel war

             
s in High Germ

  
any

            
I'll buy you a

             
 horse, my lov

             
e, and on it y

         
ou shall ride
             
And all of my 

            
delight shall 

             
be walking at 

     
your side

We'll stop at every alehouse and drink when we are dry
            
Be true to one

             
 another, get 

             
married by and

 
 by

            
O cursed be th

             
e cruel wars, 

             
that ever they

        
 should rise
             
And out of mer

            
ry England, pr

             
ess many a man

     
 likewise

They took her Harry from her, likewise her brothers three
            
And sent them 

             
to the cruel w

             
ars in High Ge

     
rmany