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One title Only 1 transcription Has lots of stepwise movement Has some stepwise movement major G 6/8 No chords explore more...

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X:70
T:The Soldier's Lament *  
C:C.E.Larrabee, Binghamton, N.Y.
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:1/4=75
K:G
G|GBd gfg|f>ed cBA|G>Bd efg|f>de def|gbg afd|c>de dBA|G>ABc>Ad|B>GA G2 :|
|: B/c/|d2e B2d|gfa gfe|d2e B2d|gfa g2 e/e/|d2e B2d|gfa gfe|dgB AGA|BGA G2 :|
% The second staff of this tune, #70, is identical to the second staff of tune #69.
% This is highly suspicious and one of the tunes is believed to be in error. Both were
% contributed by the same person, however, and are not common, so the contributor may
% have knowingly composed or played both with the same second half.
% The tune is akin to "Rye Whiskey", as are the lyrics below from a civil war era diary.
%X:1
%T:Rye Whisky
%M:6/8
%L:1/8
%K:G
% z4 z B| BGG DDD| GGG B2 B/2A/2| BGE DDD| GGA G2 B,| CEE B,DD| GGA B2 B/2A/2|\
% B G/2G/2 E DB,D| GGA G2 z|
W:from the diary of William Lock Henthorn, excerpts of which were found at http://members.aol.com/RYouCuz/diary.htm 
W:____________________________________
W:Dec 30th 1863
W:The Soldiers Lament
W:
W:1) one morning one morning in may
W:I herd a poor fellow lamenting & say
W:I herd a poor fellow lamenting & mourn
W:I am a poor union soldier & far away from home.
W:
W:2) adios to old Illinois I can no longer stay
W:hard times & The Rebels draw me away
W:hard times & the Rebels has caused me to mourn
W:I am a union Soldier & far away from home
W:
W:3) Oh abrham oh abrham tis for your Sake I live
W:that I left my dear people my country to defend
W:that I left my dear people to weap & to mourn
W:I am a union Soldier & far away from home
W:
W:4) Ile build me a castle on yonder mountain high
W:that my tru love may See me as She passes by
W:that my tru love may See me & help one to mourn
W:I am a union Soldier & far away from home
W:
W:5) Oh milly oh milly tis for your Sake a loan
W:that I left my dear mother to weap & to mourn
W:that I left you & mother & Sister all alone
W:I am a union Soldier & far away from home
W:
W:6) A cup of cold water a glass or two of wine
W:you may drink to your Tru love & ile drink to mine
W:you may drink to your tru love & help one to mourn
W:I am a union Soldier & far away from home
W:
W:7) Ile eat when ime hungry & drink when Ime dry
W:if the Rebs dont kill me ile live till I die
W:& if milly forsakes me She will cause one to mourn
W:I am a union Soldier & far away from home
W:
W:Writen by Wm J Long Co. C 22nd Ohio 
W:Voz Inft.
W:_______________________________________________
W:
W:NOTE: Compare the above to the alternate verses to Rye Whiskey following, found at http://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/pages/tiRYEWHISK;ttRYEWHISK.html
W:__________________________________________
W:Rye Whiskey
W:
W:I'll eat when I'm hungry,
W:I'll drink when l'm dry,
W:If the hard times don't kill me,
W:I'll lay down and die.
W:
W:     Rye whisky, rye whisky,
W:     Rye whisky, l cry,
W:     If you don't give me rye whisky,
W:     I surely will die.
W:
W:I'll tune up my fiddle,
W:And I 'll rosin my bow,
W:I'll make myself welcome,
W:Wherever I go.
W:
W:Beefsteak when l'm hungry,
W:Red liquor when l'm dry,
W:Greenbacks when I'm hard up,
W:And religion when I die.
W:
W:They say l drink whisky,
W:My money's my own;
W:All them that don't like me,
W:Can leave me alone.
W:
W:Sometimes l drink whisky,
W:Sometimes l drink rum,
W:Sometimes l drink brandy,
W:At other times none.
W:
W:But if I get boozy,
W:My whisky's my own,
W:And them that don't like me,
W:Can leave me alone.
W:
W:Jack o' diamonds, jack o' diamonds,
W:I know you of old,
W:You've robbed my poor pockets
W:Of silver and gold.
W:
W:Oh, whisky, you villain,
W:You've been my downfall,
W:You've kicked me, you've cuffed me,
W:But I love you for all.
W:
W:If the ocean was whisky,
W:And I was a duck,
W:I'd dive to the bottom
W:To get one sweet suck.
W:
W:But the ocean ain't whisky
W:And l ain't a duck,
W:So we'll round up the cattle
W:And then we'll get drunk.
W:
W:My foot's in my stirrup,
W:My bridle's in my hand,
W:l'm leaving sweet Lillie,
W:The fairest in the land.
W:Her parents don't like me,
W:They say l'm too poor;
W:They say I'm unworthy
W:To enter her door.
W:
W:Sweet milk when l'm hungry,
W:Rye whisky when l'm dry,
W:If a tree don't fall on me,
W:I'll live till I die.
W:
W:I'll buy my own whisky,
W:I'll make my own stew,
W:If I get drunk, madam,
W:It's nothing to you.
W:
W:I'll drink my own whisky,
W:I'll drink my own wine,
W:Some ten thousand bottles
W:I've killed in my time.
W:
W:I've no wife to quarrel
W:No babies to bawl;
W:The best way of living
W:Is no wife at all.
W:
W:Way up on Clinch Mountain
W:l wander alone,
W:l'm as drunk as the devil,
W:Oh, let me alone.
W:
W:You may boast of your knowledge
W:An' brag of your sense,
W:'Twill all be forgotten
W:A hundred years hence.
W:
W:(Negro Variant)
W:In my little log cabin,
W:Ever since I been born,
W:Dere ain't been no nothin'
W:'Cept dat hard salt, parched corn.
W:
W:But l know whar's a henhouse,
W:De turkey he charve;
W:An, if ol' Massa don' kill me
W:l cain't never starve.
W:
W:(Variant chorus)
W:Rye whisky, rye whisky,
W:You're no friend to me;
W:You killed my poor daddy,
W:Goddamn you, try me.
W:
W:Additional verses
W:
W:O Mollie, O Mollie, it's for your sake alone
W:That I'd leave my old parents, my house, and my home.
W:
W:I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry
W:And when I get thirsty I'll lay down and cry
W:
W:O baby, O baby, I've told you before,
W:Do make me a pallet, I'll lay on the floor.
W:
W:I will build me a castle on yonder mountain high
W:Where my true love can see me when she comes ridin' by.
W:
W:Where my true love can see me and help me to mourn.
W:I'm a rabble soldier and Dixie's my home.
W:
W:I'll get up in my saddle, my quirt in my hand,
W:And I'll think of you, Mollie, when in some distant land.
W:
W:I'll think of you, Mollie. You caused me to roam.
W:I'm a rabble soldier and Dixie's my home.
W:
W:But the ocean ain't whiskey, and I ain't no duck,
W:So I'll play jack o' diamonds and try to change my luck.
W:
W:I have rambled and gambled all my money away
W:But it's with the rabble army, O Mollie, I must stay
W:
W:It is with the rabble army, O Mollie, I must roam.
W:I'm a rabble soldier and Dixie's my home.
W:
W:The Union men and Yankees have forced me from my home.
W:I am a rebel soldier and far from my home.
W:
W:I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry.
W:If those Yankees don't kill me, I'll fight till I die.
W:
W:From American Ballads and Folk Songs, Lomax
W:Note: One of the more exhaustive texts.
W:
W:
W:***************
W:The last half of of "The Soldier's Lament" does not have the same rhythm as the first and may reflect 
W:some lost chorus or refrain with different words.  Given the history of the 85th New York Volunteers with
W:which C.E. Larrabee may have served, the following words or something similar might match the rhythm,
W:be roughly consistent with the diary entry above, 
W:________________________________
W:O Abraham, I came when you called me.
W:Oh Abraham, I left my fair home.
W:You might recall, I marched with your army,
W:But now I am stuck here at Andersonville.
W:________________________________
W:These words are purely conjectural and are offered here ONLY because they fit the meter of the mysterious
W:second half of the song and illustrate how it might fit appropriately with the first half.
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