“She Wore a Yellow Ribbon,” “The Girl I Left Behind Me,” and USMC Cadences (Videos)

Re-posted by Nicholas Stix
 

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) Instrumental
 


 

See 2:30 or so: Basil Pouledaris re-used that riff in Lonesome Dove. It gives me chills to hear it here.
 


“She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” and “The Girl I Left Behind Me” Instrumentals
 


 


The Girl I Left Behind Me (U.S. Cavalry)
 


 

N.S.: This orchestration has an obvious Irish lilt. It was originally Irish, and then was sung by federal cavalrymen, many of whom were Irish immigrants.

Between the choir’s beautiful rendition, the arrangement, and the lyrics, this is by far the best version I’ve heard, including John Ford pictures. I get goose bumps listening to it.
 

The Girl I Left Behind Me

For she's as fair as Shannon's side,
And purer than its water,
But she refused to be my bride,
Though many are the year I sought her.

Yet since the day I rode away,
Her letters oft remind me,
I’ll be returning from the fray,
To the girl I left behind me.

Oh, the maids of France are fond and free,
Their lips are more than willing,
I’ll warm the maids of Italy,
And Spanish eyes are thrilling.

Oh, the English charm me with their smile,
And yet they fail to bind me,
For my heart falls back to Erin's isle,
To the girl I left behind me.

For she's as fair as Shannon's side,
And purer than its water,
But she refused to be my bride,
Though many are the year I sought her.

Yet since the day I rode away,
Her letters oft remind me,
I’ll be returning from the fray,
To the girl I left behind me.

Oh, the English charm me with their smile,
And yet they fail to bind me,
For my heart falls back to Erin's isle,
To the girl I left behind me.
 


The Girl I Left Behind Me

Oh the maids of France are fair and free
and Flemish lips are willing
and soft the maids of Italy
and Spanish eyes are thrilling
Though I bask beneath their smiles
their charms fail to bind me
and my heart flies back to Erin's isle
to the girl I left behind me

For she's as fair as Shannon's side
and purer than the water
but she refused to be my bride
though manys the year I sought her
Yet since to France I've sailed away
(or how about)
(Yet since I've sailed to Ameri - Kay)
her letters oft remind me
That I promised never to gainsay
the girl I left behind me

The hour was sad I left the maid
A lingering farewell taking
Her sighs and tears my steps delayed
I thought her heart was breaking
In hurried words her name I blessed,
I breathed the vows that bind me
and to my heart in anguish pressed
the girl I left behind me

I'm lone-some since I cross'd the hill,
And o'er the moor and valley;
Such heavey tho'ts my heart do fill,
Since parting with my Sally.
I seek no more the fine and gay,
For each does but remind me.
How swift the hours did pass away ,
With the girl I've left behind me

Oh, ne'er shall I forget the night,
The stars were bright above me,
And gently lent their silv'ry light,
When first she vow'd she loved me.
But now I'm bound to Brighton camp,
Kind heaven, may favor find me.
And send me safely back again
To the girl I left behind me.

Had I the art to sing her praise
With all the skill of Homer,
The only theme should fill my lays -
The charms of my true lover.
So let the night be e'er so dark,
Or e'er so wet and windy
Kind heaven send me back again
To the girl I've left behind me.

Her golden hair, in ringlets fair,
Her eyes like diamonds shining,
Her slender waist, with carriage chaste,
May leave the swan repining.
Ye gods above! oh, hear my prayer,
To my beauteous fair to bind me,
And send me safely back again
To the girl I've left behind me.

The bee shall honey taste no more,
The dove become a ranger,
The falling waves may cease to roar,
Ere I shall seek to change her.
The vows we register'd above
Shall ever cheer and bind me
In constancy to her I love, -
The girl I've left behind me.

My mind her form shall still retain
in sleeping or in waking
Until I see my love again
for whom my heart is breaking
If ever I should see the day
When Mars shall have resigned me
For ever more I'll gladly stay
With the girl I left behind me.

Then to the South we bore away
to win a name in story.
And there where dawns the sun of day
there dawned our sun of glory.
Both blazed at noon on freedoms height
where in the post assigned me.
I shared the glory of that fight
sweet girl I left behind me.

Full many a name our banners bore
of former deeds of daring
But they were days of 76
In which we had no sharing
But now our laurels freshly won
with the old ones shall entwined be
Still worthy of our sires and sons
sweet girl I left behind me.

She says my darling dear come home
my friends are rich and many
or failing that with you I'll roam
a soldier stout as any
But if you'll not come nor let me go
I'll fear you have resigned me
my heart near broke when I sent back NO
to the girl I left behind me

For never shall my true love brave
a life or war and toiling
and never as a skulking slave
I'll tread my native soil on
But were she free or to be freed
the battles close would find me
to Erin bound nor message need
from the girl I left behind me.

The hope of final victory
within my bosom burning.
Is mingling with sweet thoughts of thee
and of my fond returning
but should I ne're return again
Still worth thy love that bind me
dishonors breath shall never stain
the name I'll leave behind me.

 

USMC Cadences


 


Around her hair,
She wore a yellow ribbon,
She wore it in the spring time
And the early month of May.

And if you ask her
Why the hell she wore it,
She wore it for the young marine
Who’s far, far away,

Far away, far away,
She wore it for the young marine
Who’s far, far away.

Around the block,
She pushed a baby carriage,
She pushed it in the springtime,
And the early month of May.

And if you ask her,
Why the hell she pushed it,
She pushed it for the young marine
Who’s far, far away.

Far away, far away,
She pushed it for
The young marine
Who’s far, far away.

Behind the door,
Her daddy kept his shotgun,
He kept it in the springtime,
And the early month of May.

And if you ask him,
Why the hell he kept it,
He kept it just to blow that
Young Marine’s ass away.

Far away, far away,
He kept it just to blow that
Young Marine’s ass away.