CORPORAL SCHNAPPS
By Henry Clay Work


Mine heart ish proken into little pits,
I tells you friend what for;
Mine schweet-heart, von coot patriotic kirl,
She trives me off mit der war.
I fights for her der pattles of te flag,
I schtrikes so prave as I can;
Put now long time she nix remempers me,
And coes mit another man. 

CHORUS: Ach! Mein fraulein!
You ish so ferry unkind!
You coes mit Hans to Zhermany to live,
And leaves poor Schnapps pehind,
And leaves poor Schnapps pehind.

I march all tay, no matter if der schtorm
Pe worse ash Moses' flood;
I lays all night, mine 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 ground,
So schtiff as von schtone post.

CHORUS                            

They kives me hartpred, tougher as a rock --
It almost preaks mein zhaw;
I schplits him sometimes mit an iron wedge,
And cuts him up mid a saw.
They kive me peef, so ferry, ferry salt,
Like Sodom's wife, you know;
I surely dinks they put him in der prine
Von huntred year aco. 

CHORUS                            

Py'n py we takes von city in der south --
We schtays there von whole year;
I kits me sourcrout, much as I can eat,
Und blenty loccar pier.
I meets von laty repel in der schtreet,
So handsome effer I see:
I makes to her von ferry callant pow --
Put ah! She schpits on me. 

CHORUS                            

"Hart times!" You say, "what for you folunteer?"
I told you, friend, what for:
Mine schweet-heart, von goot patriotic kirl,
She trove me off mit der war.
Alas! Alas! Mine bretty little von
Vill schmile no more on me;
Put schtill I fights de pattles of te flag
To set mine countries free. 

CHORUS 

Songs of the Union