TOMMY<\/p>\n
I went into a public-‘ouse to get a pint o’ beer,<\/p>\n
The publican ‘e up an’ sez, “We serve no red-coats here.”<\/p>\n
The girls be’ind the bar they laughed an’ giggled fit to die,<\/p>\n
I outs into the street again an’ to myself sez I:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u2060O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, go away”;<\/p>\n
\u2060But it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins,” when the band begins to play,<\/p>\n
\u2060The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,<\/p>\n
\u2060O it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins,” when the band begins to play.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,<\/p>\n
They gave a drunk civilian room, but ‘adn’t none for me;<\/p>\n
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-‘alls,<\/p>\n
But when it comes to fightin’, Lord! they’ll shove me in the stalls!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u2060For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, wait outside”;<\/p>\n
\u2060But it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide,<\/p>\n
\u2060The troopship’s on the tide, my boys, the troopship’s on the tide,<\/p>\n
\u2060O it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Yes, makin’ mock o’ uniforms that guard you while you sleep<\/p>\n
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an’ they’re starvation cheap;<\/p>\n
An’ hustlin’ drunken soldiers when they’re goin’ large a bit<\/p>\n
Is five times better business than paradin’ in full kit.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u2060Then it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, ‘ow’s yer soul?”<\/p>\n
\u2060But it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll,<\/p>\n
\u2060The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,<\/p>\n
\u2060O it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We aren’t no thin red ‘eroes, nor we aren’t no blackguards too,<\/p>\n
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;<\/p>\n
An’ if sometimes our conduck isn’t all your fancy paints:<\/p>\n
Why, single men in barricks don’t grow into plaster saints;<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u2060While it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, fall be’ind,”<\/p>\n
\u2060But it’s “Please to walk in front, sir,” when there’s trouble in the wind,<\/p>\n
\u2060There’s trouble in the wind, my boys, there’s trouble in the wind,<\/p>\n
\u2060O it’s “Please to walk in front, sir,” when there’s trouble in the wind.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
You talk o’ better food for us, an’ schools, an’ fires, an’ all:<\/p>\n
We’ll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.<\/p>\n
Don’t mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face<\/p>\n
The Widow’s Uniform is not the soldier-man’s disgrace.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u2060For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Chuck him out, the brute!”<\/p>\n
\u2060But it’s “Saviour of ‘is country,” when the guns begin to shoot;<\/p>\n
\u2060Yes it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ anything you please;<\/p>\n
\u2060But Tommy ain’t a bloomin’ fool\u2014you bet that Tommy sees!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Rudyard Kipling<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TOMMY I went into a public-‘ouse to get a pint o’ beer, The publican ‘e up an’ sez, “We serve no red-coats here.” The girls<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[701],"tags":[744,746],"class_list":["post-23754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-quote-of-the-day","tag-quote-of-the-day","tag-rudyard-kipling"],"yoast_head":"\n