Saxon Shilling

(album: At Home With The Dubliners - 1969)

Hark! a martial sound is heard—
The march of soldiers, fifing, drumming;
Eyes are staring, hearts are stirr'd
For bold recruits the brave are coming.
Ribands flaunting, feathers gay
The sounds and sights are surely thrilling,
Dazzl'd village youths to-day
Will crowd to take the Saxon Shilling.

Ye, whose spirits will not bow
In peace to parish tyrants longer
Ye, who wear the villain brow,
And ye who pine in hopeless hunger
Fools, without the brave man's faith
All slaves and starvelings who are willing
To sell yourselves to shame and death
Accept the fatal Saxon Shilling.

Go—to find, 'mid crime and toil,
The doom to which such guilt is hurried;
Go—to leave on Indian soil
Your bones to bleach, accurs'd, unburied!
Go—to crush the just and brave,
Whose wrongs with wrath the world are filling;
Go—to slay each brother slave,
Or spurn the blood-stained Saxon Shilling!

Irish hearts! why should you bleed,
To swell the tide of British glory
Aiding despots in their need,
Who've changed our green so oft to gory?
None, save those who wish to see
The noblest killed, the meanest killing,
And true hearts severed from the free,
Will take again the Saxon Shilling!

Irish youths! reserve your strength
Until an hour of glorious duty,
When Freedom's smile shall cheer at length
The land of bravery and beauty.
Bribes and threats, oh, heed no more
Let nought but Justice make you willing
To leave your own dear Island shore,
For those who send the Saxon Shilling.