i was brought up in yorkshire and when i was six - teen
oh i ran away to london and a soldier i be - came.
with my fine cap and feather like-wise me rattling drum
they learned me to play upon the rub-a-dub-a-dum.
with my fine cap and feather like - wise me rattling drum
they learned me to play upon the rub-a-dub-a-dum.
with me gentle waist so slend - er and me fingers long and small
to play up - on the rub-a-dub the best of them all.
-instrumental-
and so many were the pranks that i saw among he french
and so bodly did i fight me boys although i'm but a wench.
and in b***oning up me trousers so often have i smiled
to think i lay with a thousand men and a maiden all the while.
with my fine cap and feather like - wise me rattling drum
they learned me to play upon the rub-a-dub-a-dum.
with me gentle waist so slend - er and me fingers long and small
to play up - on the rub-a-dub the best of them all.
-instrumental-
but they never found my secret out untill this very hour
when they sent me off to london to keep sentry at the tower.
and a young girl fell in love with me and she found that i was a maid
she went up to my officer and my secret she betrayed.
with my fine cap and feather like - wise me rattling drum
they learned me to play upon the rub-a-dub-a-dum.
with me gentle waist so slend - er and me fingers long and small
to play up - on the rub-a-dub the best of them all.
-instrumental-
they unbuttoned my red tunic and he found that it was true
it's a shame he says to lose a pretty drummer boy like you.
so now i must return to me mum and dad at home
and along with me bold comrades it's no longer will i roam.
with my fine cap and feather like - wise me rattling drum
they learned me to play upon the rub-a-dub-a-dum.
with me gentle waist so slend - er and me fingers long and small
to play up - on the rub-a-dub the best of them all.
--instrumental--
oh i ran away to london and a soldier i be - came.
with my fine cap and feather like-wise me rattling drum
they learned me to play upon the rub-a-dub-a-dum.
with my fine cap and feather like - wise me rattling drum
they learned me to play upon the rub-a-dub-a-dum.
with me gentle waist so slend - er and me fingers long and small
to play up - on the rub-a-dub the best of them all.
-instrumental-
and so many were the pranks that i saw among he french
and so bodly did i fight me boys although i'm but a wench.
and in b***oning up me trousers so often have i smiled
to think i lay with a thousand men and a maiden all the while.
with my fine cap and feather like - wise me rattling drum
they learned me to play upon the rub-a-dub-a-dum.
with me gentle waist so slend - er and me fingers long and small
to play up - on the rub-a-dub the best of them all.
-instrumental-
but they never found my secret out untill this very hour
when they sent me off to london to keep sentry at the tower.
and a young girl fell in love with me and she found that i was a maid
she went up to my officer and my secret she betrayed.
with my fine cap and feather like - wise me rattling drum
they learned me to play upon the rub-a-dub-a-dum.
with me gentle waist so slend - er and me fingers long and small
to play up - on the rub-a-dub the best of them all.
-instrumental-
they unbuttoned my red tunic and he found that it was true
it's a shame he says to lose a pretty drummer boy like you.
so now i must return to me mum and dad at home
and along with me bold comrades it's no longer will i roam.
with my fine cap and feather like - wise me rattling drum
they learned me to play upon the rub-a-dub-a-dum.
with me gentle waist so slend - er and me fingers long and small
to play up - on the rub-a-dub the best of them all.
--instrumental--