Croppies Lie Down: A Favourite New Song
| TYPE | 3 - Complex Melody |
| TOPIC | Loyalist |
| TUNE STRUCTURE | A8 B6 |
| VERSE STRUCTURE | 6v 4l + 3l ch |
| TIME SIGNATURE | 67 |
| KEY SIGNATURE | ♯ |
| TONAL CENTRE | G |
| INCIPIT | GECCCB,CDEDDGA |
| GENRE | Ballad |
| TEXT SOURCE | 'Croppies Lie Down: A Favourite New Song' (Dublin, [c.1797]) British Library H.1660.tt.(62.) |
| TUNE SOURCE | as above |
| FIRST LINE | We soldiers of Erin so proud of the name |
| NOTATED INCIPIT | |
| The tune of this loyalist ballad against the Irish Rebellion of 1798 is by an unknown composer. Its words are commonly attributed to George Watson-Taylor. The song sheet reproduced here was published in Dublin by Edmund Lee of Dame Street, probably in 1797. | |
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Croppies Lie Down. A favourite new song.We Soldiers of Erin so proud of the name,Will raise upon Rebels and Frenchmen our Fame,We’ll fight to the last in the honest old cause, And guard our religion, our freedom and laws.2nd time ChorusWe’ll fight for our Country our King and his Crown,And make all the Traitors and Croppies lie down, Down, down, Croppies lie down.2.The Rebels so bold when they’ve none to oppose,To Houses and Haystacks are terrible foes;They murder poor Parsons and also their Wives,But Soldiers at once make them run for their lives,And wherever we march thro’ the Country or Town,In Ditches or Cellars the Croppies lie down,Down, down, Croppies lie down. Chorus.3.United in blood to their Country’s Disgrace,They secretly shoot whom they dare not to face;But when we can catch the sly Rogues in the Field,A handful of Soldiers make hundreds to yield;And the Cowards collect but to raise our renown,For as soon as we fire the Croppies lie down,Down, down, Croppies lie down.Chorus.4.While they in the war that unmanly they wage,On Woman herself turn their blood-thirsty rage;We’ll fly to protect the dear Creatures from harms,And shelter them safely when clasp’d in our arms;On love in a Soldier no Maiden will frown,But bless the brave Boys who made Croppies lie down,Down, down, Croppies lie down.Chorus.5.Should France e’er attempt or by force or by guile,Her Forces to land on the Emerald Isle;We’ll shew that they ne’er can make free Soldiers slaves.And only possess our green fields for their graves;Our Country’s applauses our triumphs will crown,While low with the French, Brother Croppies lie down.Down, down, Croppies lie down.Chorus.6.When wars and when dangers again shall be o’er,And Peace with her blessings revisit our shore;When Arms we relinquish no longer to roam,With pride will our Families welcome us home;And drink, as in Bumpers past troubles they drown,A Health to the Lads who made Croppies lie down.Down, down, Croppies lie down.Chorus.