“When the Guns are Rolling Yonder” (1917-18)

Every soldier leaves behind

Oh! a girl that’s true and kind,

But you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

To the war you’ll go away

Just a little while to stay

Oh! you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

Chorus:

When the guns are rolling yonder,

When the guns are rolling yonder,

When the guns are rolling y-o-n-d-e-r,

(Spoken) Fall’ In!

When the guns are rolling yonder we’ll be there.

You’ll be marching up to battle

Where those damned machine guns rattle

But you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

When you’re hanging on the wire

Under heavy hostile fire

Oh! you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

Chorus.

When your lungs are filled with gas

You’ll be thinking of a lass

But you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

Lying in the mud and rain

With a shrapnel in your brain

Oh! you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

Chorus.

When the charge is made at last

You’ll be riding hard and fast

But you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

And the poppies they will nod,

When you hit the bloomin’ sod

Oh! you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

Chorus.

There will be no more to tell

When you stop a screaming shell

And you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

For you’ll wear a wooden jacket

When the enemy gets your bracket

And you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

Chorus.

Still may you come back to find

That the girl you left behind

Doesn’t want to see her sweetheart anymore.

For while you were ‘cross the sea

She acquired a family

Oh! you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

Chorus.

Let us love while yet we may

For there’ll surely come a day

When you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

For the jackal and the crow

Said t’was ever, ever so

Oh! you’ll never see your sweetheart anymore.

Chorus.

Source: The More We Sing, the Merrier We’ll Be, Doughboy songbook, author(s) unknown, c. 1918.