It's of a gentleman soldier as sentry he did stand
He saluted a fair maiden by a waiving of his hand
And then he boldly kissed her and he passed it off as a joke
He drilled her up in the sentry box wrapped up in a soldier's cloke
And the drums are going a-rap-a-tap-tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly, my dear
I must be going away
All night they tossed and tumbled 'til the morning did appear
The soldier rose, put on his clothes that said "Fare you well, my dear"
For the drums they are a beating and the fifes they so sweetly play
If it weren't for that Polly, my dear, with you I'd gladly stay
And the drums are going a-rap-a-tap-tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly, my dear
I must be going away
If anyone comes a courting you, you can treat them to a glass
If anyone comes a courting you, you can say you're a country lass
You don't ever tell them, you don't have to play this joke
That you got drilled in a sentry box, wrapped up in a soldier's cloke
And the drums are going a-rap-a-tap-tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly, my dear
I must be going away
Now come, you gentleman soldier, won't you marry me?
Oh no, my dearest Polly, such things can never be
For I've a wife already, children I have three
Two wives are allowed in the army, but one's too many for me
And the drums are going a-rap-a-tap-tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly, my dear
I must be going away
Oh, come my gentleman soldier, why didn't you tell me so?
My parents will be angy, when this they come to know
When nine months had been and gone, the poor girl she brought shame
She had a little militia boy and she didn't know his name
And the drums are going a-rap-a-tap-tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly, my dear
I must be going away
And the drums are going a-rap-a-tap-tap
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly, my dear
I must be going away