Corporal Schnapps

Melody - Henry Clay Work

Henry Clay Work

Mine heart ish proken into little pits,
I tells you, friend, what for;
Mine schweetheart, von coot patriotic kirl,
She trives me off mit der war.
I fights for her, der pattles of the flag.
I schtrikes to prove as I can;
Put now long time she nix remempers me,
And coes mit another man.
Chorus:
Ah! mein fraulein!
You ish so ferry unkind;
You coes mit Hans to Zhermany to live,
|: And leaves poor Schnapps behind. :|

I march all tay, no matter if der schtorm
Pe worse ash Moses' flood;
I lays all night, mein head upon a schtump
And "sinks to schleep" in der mud.
Der nightmare comes, I catch him ferry pad
I treams I schleeps mit der Ghost
I wakes next morning frozen in der cround
So schtiff as von schtone post.

3. They kives me hart-pred, tougher as a rock
It almost preaks mine zhaw;
I schplits him sometimes mit an iron wedge
And cuts him up mit a saw.
Dey kives me peef, so ferry ferry salt
Like Sodom's vife, you know;
I surely tinks dey put him in der prine
Von hundred years aco.

4. Py'n py we takes von city in der South
Ve schtays there von whole year,
I kits me sourkraut, much as I can eat,
And blenty lager bier.
I meets von lady repel in der schtreet
So handsome effer I see;
I makes to her von ferry callant pow
Put ah! she schpits on me.

5. "Hart times!" you say, "What for you folunteer?"
I tolt you, friends, what for:
Mein schweetheart, von coot patriotic kirl,
She trove me off mit der war.
Alas! alas! Mein bretty little von
Vill schmile no more on me
Put schtill I fights der pattles of te flag
To set mein countries free.

The massive immigration of Irish in the 1840's was only bested by the number of German immigrants. Like the Irish and Blacks, they were often the targets of ethnic jokes and parodying songs.

| USA Songs Index | Home Page Robokopp |Home Page Musica|