Ballads of Battle/"I Canna See the Sergeant"
"I CANNA SEE THE SERGEANT"
Those readers who have recollection of the drilling days of the 4th Battalion Black Watch may remember to have heard some words—often, fortunately, not entirely intelligible—which we rendered lustily as a marching song, to the Gaelic melody, "Horo My Nut Brown Maiden." In these strenuous and sad times the phrase, "I Canna See the Sergeant," which formed the owre-turn o' the sang, has often assumed a new and deeper significance.
I canna see the sergeant,
I canna see the sergeant,
I canna—see the—sergeant,[1]
He's owre far awa'.
Bring the wee chap nearer,
Bring the wee chap nearer,
O bring the—wee chap—nearer—
He's owre bloomin' sma'.
I canna see the sergeant,
I canna—see the—sergeant,[1]
He's owre far awa'.
Bring the wee chap nearer,
Bring the wee chap nearer,
O bring the—wee chap—nearer—
He's owre bloomin' sma'.
We canna see the sergeant,
The five foot five inch sergeant,
We canna—see the—sergeant
For smoke, and shell, and a'—
Now we can see him clearer,
Now we can see him nearer—
Upon the topmost parapet
He's foremost o' us a'!
The five foot five inch sergeant,
We canna—see the—sergeant
For smoke, and shell, and a'—
Now we can see him clearer,
Now we can see him nearer—
Upon the topmost parapet
He's foremost o' us a'!
We canna see the sergeant,
The sma', stout-hearted sergeant,
We canna—see the—sergeant,
He's dead and gone awa'.
Bring the wee chap nearer,
Bring the wee chap nearer,
O, he has grown the dearer
Now that he's far awa'!
The sma', stout-hearted sergeant,
We canna—see the—sergeant,
He's dead and gone awa'.
Bring the wee chap nearer,
Bring the wee chap nearer,
O, he has grown the dearer
Now that he's far awa'!
- ↑ To be sung in staccato fashion.