Sergeant William Bailey - The Wolfe Tones

Sergeant William Bailey was a man of high renown

Tooral looral looral looral loo

In search of gallant young recruits he used to scour the town

Tooral looral looral looral loo

His face was full and swarthy, of medals he had forty

And ribbons on his chest red white and blue

It was he that looked the hero as he made the people stare O

As he stood on Dunphy’s corner tooral loo

But alas for human greatness every dog he has his day

Tooral looral looral looral loo

And Sergeant William Bailey he is getting old and grey

Tooral looral looral looral loo

No longer youths are willing to take his dirty shilling

And things for him are looking mighty blue

In spite of fife and drumming no more recruits are coming

For Sergeant William Bailey tooral loo

Sergeant William Bailey what a wretched sight to see

Tooral looral looral looral loo

His back that once was firm and straight is almost bent in three

Tooral looral looral looral loo

Some rebel youths with placards have called his army blackguards

And told the Irish youth just what to do

He has lost his occupation let’s sing in jubilation

For Sergeant William Bailey tooral loo