Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
Subject: Re: The Battle of Alma
From: oecn_michael@mec.ohio.gov
Date: 22 Dec 92 09:26:40 -0500
Organization: Metrop. Educ. Council, Columbus, OH

>Subject: help with lyrics - heights of alma
>Message-ID: <20121@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu>
>From: darsie@eecs.ucdavis.edu (Richard Darsie)
>Date: 14 Dec 92 23:17:50 GMT
>Sender: usenet@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu
>Organization: University of California, Davis
>
>Well, I've been learning this one off a tape of Margaret Christl.
>The subject matter of the song is definitely non-PC: an extremely
>jingoistic recounting of a Crimean War battle from the British
>point of view - but the tune is just so incredibly infectious
>and energetic that I've decided to learn it anyway. There are
>a few lines of lyrics which I can't make out, so if anyone in 
>netland can help I'd appreciate it. There are several whole
>lines which I've left blank, and I've put question marks by
>lines where I'm unsure of what I heard.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Richard
>darsie@eecs.ucdavis.edu
>
>The Heights of Alma
>[Trad.]


September ........ on the eighteenth day
[On September last the eighteenth day]
We were landed safe in the big Crimay
In spite of all the burning spray
To cheer our hearts for Alma.
That night we lay on the cold, cold ground,
Not a shelter to be found;
In the rain we almost drowned
On the heights of Alma.

Britain's sons may long remember
The glorious 20th of September.
We caused the Russians to surrender
On the heights of Alma.

Next morn the scorching sun did rise
In the east, in the cloudy skies.
......
[Our noble chief, Lord Raglan, cries]
Prepare to march for Alma.
And when their sights were held in view,
[Oh, when the heights we hove in view,]
Stepped as hard it would subdue (????)
[The stoutest heart it could subdue]
To see the Russians' warlike crew
On the heights of Alma.

Britain's sons may long remember...

Their cities were well fortified,
Battlements all lit besides.
.....
[Our noble chief, Lord Raglan, cries]
We'll get our work at Alma.
[We'll get hot work at Alma]
Their shot it flew like winter rain
As we the battlements tried to gain.
Fifteen hundred Frenchmen slain
In the blood and gore at Alma.

Britain's sons may long remember...

Our Scottish lads with swords in hands
Were not last, as you may surmise.
Gallantly they faced their foes
To gain the heights of Alma.
To Sevastapol the Russians fled
Leaving the wounded and the dead.
Rivers there they ran with red
>From the blood that spilled at Alma.

Britain's sons may long remember...

Two hundred Frenchmen I heard say (????)
[There was fifteen hundred Frenchmen I heard say]
Died upon that fateful day.
But 1800 Russians lay 
In the blood and gore at Alma.
France and England, hand in hand,
Was no foe could them withstand.
Let it run throughout the land
Of the victory gained at Alma.

Britain's sons may long remember...


Beginning at Our Scottish lads with swords in hands... I have the following:

Our Scottish lads in kilt and hose
Were not the last you may suppose,
But daring faced their daring foes
And gained the heights of Alma.

To Sebastopol the Russians fled
They left their wounded and their dead;
The rivers there that they run red
From the blood was spilled at Alma.

There was fifteen hundred Frenchmen I heard say
Had fell upon that fatal day,
And eighteen hundred Russians lay
In the bloody gore at Alma.

From orphans' eyes the tears do roll,
And none the widows can console;
While parents mourn beyond control
For the sons they lost at Alma.

And many a pretty maid does mourn 
Her lover who will ne'er return;
By cruel war he's from her torn,
His body lies at Alma.

Now France and Britain, hand in hand,
What foe on earth could them withstand?
So let it run throughout the land,
The victory won at Alma.


I obtained the words from THE RAMBLING SOLDIER, edited by Roy Palmer, Penquin
Books, 1977.  The edition I have is a Peacock Book which notes it was
simultaneously published in hardback by Kestrel Books.  I have many of Mr.
Palmer's books and highly recommend them.  Mr. Palmer indicates that the words
are from a Mr. Ben Henneberry of Devil's Island, Newfoundland as well as some
verses added from a broadside issued by C. Sanderson of Edinburgh.  The words
you have seem less formal in tone to those printed in the Palmer book.  There
are many minor differences.  Mr. Palmer clarifies that the "Scottish lads"
mentioned "comprised the Camerons, the 93rd Highlanders (later called the
Argyll and Sutherlands) and the Black Watch" and that, in actual casualties,
"The British lost 2,000 killed and wounded, the French, 1,300, and the
Russians, over 5,000."

Mr. Palmer notes in the discography recordings on Leader LEA4048 and Topic
12TS209.  I have never heard the song sung myself and from your description of
the tune as energetic, I wondered if you might describe the pace of it?