Ford o' Kabul River [KIPLING poem set to music]
Channel: tobydarling
Date: 18/12/2014

Here is another of Rudyard Kipling's Barrack-room Ballads which I have set to music.

The pictures come from the area around Fathipur, Himachal Pradesh, North India.

Free midi/mp3 of backing and score available on request.



Ford o' Kabul River 

C G Am Em
Kabul town's by Kabul river – 
G D C Em
Blow the bugle, draw the sword – 
C G Am Em
There I lef' my mate for ever, 
Am C G B7
Wet an' drippin' by the ford. 
Am C Em D
Ford, ford, ford o' Kabul river,
Em C G Em
Ford o' Kabul river in the dark !
C D Em Bm
There's the river up and brimmin',
C Em G Em
An' there's 'arf a squadron swimmin'
C Em C D Em
'Cross the ford o' Kabul river in the dark.

Kabul town's a blasted place - 
Blow the bugle, draw the sword - 
'Strewth I sha'n't forget 'is face 
Wet an' drippin' by the ford !
Ford, ford, ford o' Kabul river,
Ford o' Kabul river in the dark ! 
Keep the crossing-stakes beside you, 
An' they will surely guide you 
'Cross the ford o' Kabul river in the dark.

Kabul town is sun and dust - 
Blow the bugle, draw the sword - 
I'd ha' sooner drownded fust 
'Stead of 'im beside the ford.
Ford, ford, ford o' Kabul river, 
Ford o' Kabul river in the dark !
You can 'ear the 'orses threshin', 
You can 'ear the men a-splashin',
'Cross the ford o' Kabul river in the dark.

Kabul town was ours to take - 
Blow the bugle, draw the sword - 
I'd ha' left it for 'is sake - 
'Im that left me by the ford.
Ford, ford, ford o' Kabul river,
Ford o' Kabul river in the dark !
It's none so bloomin' dry there; 
Ain't you never comin' nigh there,
'Cross the ford o' Kabul river in the dark ? 

Kabul town'll go to hell - 
Blow the bugle, draw the sword - 
'Fore I see him 'live an' well - 
'Im the best beside the ford.
Ford, ford, ford o' Kabul river,
Ford o' Kabul river in the dark !
Gawd 'elp 'em if they blunder, 
For their boots'll pull 'em under,
By the ford o' Kabul river in the dark.

Turn your 'orse from Kabul town - 
Blow the bugle, draw the sword - 
'Im an' 'arf my troop is down, 
Down an' drownded by the ford. 
Ford, ford, ford o' Kabul river,
Ford o' Kabul river in the dark ! 
There's the river low an' fallin', 
But it ain't no use o' callin'
'Cross the ford o' Kabul river in the dark.