THE BANKS OF THE NILE

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Song Title
THE BANKS OF THE NILE
Writers
Peter Bellamy, Royston Wood, Heather Wood
Publisher
TOTAL MUSIC SERVICES, INC. (BMI)
% Publisher Controls
100%
Territory Controlled
USA
Themes/Keywords
Desert, Drums, Egypt, England, Fight, Fortune, Hair, Land, Love, Miles, Mourning, Nile River, River, Stay
Lyrics
Oh hark the drums are beating
And I must haste away,
The bugles sweetly sound
And I can no longer stay.
We are called up for Portsmouth
And it’s many a weary mile,
To fight the blacks and heathens
On the banks of the Nile.

Oh Willy, dearest Willy,
Don’t leave me here to mourn,
Don’t make me curse and rue the day
That ever I was born,
But parting from you, Willy,
Is like parting from my life,
Oh stay at home, dear William,
And I will be your wife.

Oh I’ll cut off my yellow hair
And go along with you,
I’ll dress myself in velveteen
And go and see Egypt too.
I’ll fight and hold the banner,
Love and fortune it may smile,
And we’ll gather love and honor
On the banks of the Nile.

Your waist is too slender,
Your features are too fine,
Your body is too weak, my love,
To stand a long campaign.
The sultry suns of Egypt,
Your precious health may spoil,
And the sandy desert places
On the banks of the Nile.

Oh cursed, cursed be the day
That ere the wars began,
They’ve taken out of England
For many a fine young man.
Our lads have gone to perish
On that unwholesome soil,
And they never will return
From the banks of the Nile.

Recordings

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