Twa Recruiting Sergeants
Traditional
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- [Traditional]
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[Roud 3356; G/D 1:7 ; Ballad Index GrD1077; trad.] Scottish traditional about recruiting sergeants pitches to young farmers to enlist. The farming communities of Scotland were a favourite haunt of the recruiting officers of the leading regiments, such as in this case the Black Watch. The technique they used was to remind the young farm hands of all the hardships and restrictions that a life on the land entailed. Enlisting in the regiment could also provide an escape route for those who had carelessly got their sweetheart pregnant. Their recruiting pitches fail to mention the fact that many of these young men who enlist will die in battle.
There is an Irish traditional about a similar theme called Arthur McBride - Licensing
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