Cruel Wars

A medley arrangement of two separate songs that deal with popular folk music tropes, popularized by Canadian "Ciderpunk" band The Dreadnoughts. Though uncredited by the Dreadnoughts, this song's unique arrangement comes from Jon Loomes, who combined Steeleye Span's "Fighting for Strangers" with The Dubliners' rendition of the traditional "High Germany."

The Longest Johns released an official music video of their version of the song on 24 March 2021.

### Factoids

Steeleye Span's "Fighting for Strangers" is an original composition containing references to numerous traditional folk songs. The chorus (not included in this arrangement) borrows its lyrics from a line in Our Captain Cried All Hands. The "scarlet coat and a fine cocked hat" is a reference to Mrs. McGrath (a variant of My Son John). "The shilling he took and he kissed the book" refers to The King's Shilling. The repeated line "Johnny what'll happen to ya" quotes the melody of Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye, and the half verse beginning "But you haven't an arm" is nearly a direct quote of that song's lyrics. "Half a ring" refers to a trope common to several traditional songs where a departing soldier or sailor and his beloved break a ring in two and each take half, to be reunited upon his return. There are likely several other references in the piece; this list is not comprehensive.

"High Germany" is a traditional folk song which predates the 19th century; according to Cecil Sharp's *One Hundred English Folk Songs*, its earliest reference is 1780. There is significant debate over which war this song references, though the most likely candidates are the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) or the Seven Years War (1756-1763).

## Lyrics

These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns in their livestreams, but mostly follow the arrangement performed by the Dreadnoughts (and originally John Loomes). The Dreadnoughts' lyrics can be found here.

>
> A recruiting sergeant came our way
>
> From the inn near town at the close of day
>
> He said, "My Johnny, you're a fine young man;
>
> Would you like to march along behind a military band
>
> With a scarlet coat and a fine cocked hat
>
> And a musket at your shoulder?"
>
> The shilling he took and he kissed the book
>
> Oh, poor Johnny, what'll happen to ya?
>
>
>
> The recruiting sergeant marched away
>
> From the inn near town at the break of day
>
> Johnny came too with half a ring
>
> He was off to be a soldier to go fighting for the King
>
> In a far-off war in a far-off land
>
> To face the foreign soldier
>
> But how will you fare when there's lead in the air?
>
> Oh, poor Johnny, what'll happen to ya?
>
>
>
> Well, the sun rose high on a barren land
>
> Where the thin red line made a military stand
>
> There was sling shot, chain shot, grape shot too
>
> Swords and bayonets thrusting through
>
> Poor Johnny fell but the day was won
>
> And the King is grateful to ya
>
> But your soldiering's done and they're sending you home
>
> Oh, poor Johnny, what'll happen to ya?
>
>
>
> Well, they said he was a hero and not to grieve
>
> For the two ruined legs and the empty sleeves
>
> They took him home and they set him down
>
> With a military pension and a medal from the crown
>
> But you haven't an arm, you haven't a leg
>
> The enemy nearly slew ya
>
> You'll have to go out on the streets and beg
>
> Oh, poor Johnny, what'll happen to ya?
>
>
>
> A recruiting sergeant came our way
>
> From the inn near town at the close of day
>
> He said, "My Johnny, you're a fine young man;
>
> Would you like to march along behind a military band
>
> With a scarlet coat and a fine cocked hat
>
> And a musket at your shoulder?"
>
> The shilling he took and he kissed the book
>
> Oh, poor Johnny, what'll happen to ya?
>
>
>
> O Polly love, O Polly, the rout has now begun
>
> And we must go a-marching to the beating of a drum
>
> Come dress yourself all in your best and come along with me
>
> I'll take you to the cruel wars in High Germany
>
>
>
> O Harry, dearest Harry, mind well what I do say
>
> My feet, they are so tender and I cannot march away
>
> Besides, my dearest Harry, I am with child by thee
>
> Not fitted for the cruel wars in High Germany
>
>
>
> I'll buy you a horse, my love, and on it you shall ride
>
> And all of my delight shall be walking at your side
>
> We'll stop at every alehouse and drink when we are dry
>
> Be true to one another, get married by and by
>
>
>
> O curséd be the cruel wars, that ever they should rise
>
> And out of merry England press many a man likewise
>
> They took her Harry from her, likewise her brothers three
>
> And sent them to the cruel wars in High Germany
>
>
>
>
>

## Recordings

#### YouTube Videos

* The Castle — St Ives 2016
* Music Video

#### Full Band Streams

* The Longest Johns, Album Launch gig/party (19 Jun 2018)
* The Longest Johns and Friends, El Pony Pisador! (12 Aug 2018)
* The Longest Johns Impromptu Singing Stream! (17 Nov 2018)
* The Longest Johns Singing Stream from Newcastle (+special guests) (8 Dec 2018)
* Surviving the first month of 2019 with The Longest Johns!!! (New donation system) (30 Jan 2019)
* The Longest Johns and Friends, March. w/Sam Brookes (22 Mar 2019)
* The Longest Johns Streamtember (4 Sep 2019)
* The Longest Johns Early Octobermas (2 Oct 2019)
* Isolation Stream 'n' Skypeathon! (1 Apr 2020)
* Album Launch Party! Cures What Ails Ya, Available June 10th (Preorder Now) (10 Jun 2020)
* Fancy Dress Social Media Live Stream Tour (31 Oct 2020)
* We Built This Stream(y) on Shant and Folk (11 Nov 2020)
* It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Streams-mas (16 Dec 2020)
* Boulevard of Broken Streams (17 Feb 2021)
* Cadbury Stream Egg (13 Apr 2022)
* Blue Stream of Death! (29 Jun 2022)
* Stream me up Scotty! (23 Aug 2022)
* Stream Girls (27 Apr 2023)

#### Chill Streams

* The Longest Johns - Andy and JD sing some folk songs and shanties! (2 Jun 2018)
* Welcome to Chilltown! With Andy and JD - 23/03/2020
* Roll on down to Chillbury Town with Andy & JD - 04/05/2020

#### Gaming Streams

* The Longest Johns Play Sea of Thieves but the servers die and we sing anyway (20 Mar 2018)
* Party Boat with Krotukk! - 01/02/2020
* Sea of Thieves Tall Tales Marathon for Charity Part 2 (20 Jun 2020)
* Sea of Sings on a Friday evening, oh what a salty sight to sea - 03/07/2020
* Musical larceny on the big blue wet thing - 10/08/2020
* Hoist Up The Thing! - 14/08/2020
* Sea of Sings, Arena edition! w/ KHARITES\_ & xSHUMBAx - 24/08/2020
* It's Sea of Sings! Featuring Krotukk! Huzzah! - 28/08/2020
* Tunes and Topgallant Sails - 31/08/2020
* Super Monday Afternoon Singing Time On The Sea! - 07/09/2020
* Sea of Sings! Yarr and all that... - 16/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! Let's Shant! With Kharites & TeachCourage! - 23/10/2020
* DROPS! Sea of Sings! with BehavingBeardly! SHANT! - 30/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! with Spammals! SHANT! - 1/11/2020
* All aboard the shant bus... I mean boat... I mean ship - 20/11/2020
* Full Friendship followed by Battle Royale! - 23/11/2020
* Sea of Adventure with BehavingBeardly - 27/11/2020
* Sea of Hijinks with Freyline - 29/11/2020
* Musical larceny on the big blue wet thing - 7/12/2020
* Music and boats and stuff - 13/12/2020
* Let's get splashy - 14/12/2020
* Sea of Sings, ye scurvy dogs! | - 4/01/2021
* It's yarr time! Sea of Sings! Set sails to 100% - 22/01/2021
* Sea of Sings! Yarr? - 01/02/2021
* Game Dev stream! Yarrs for everyone! - 05/02/2021
* Sea of Sings with Azuki and HappyKrakenX - 08/02/2021
* Sea of Sings! Let's get splashy! - 12/02/2021
* Sea of Sings LIVE | The Longest Johns Sea of Thieves Stream
* Singing and Sailing with BehavingBeardly and KroTukk - 21/03/2021
* We give you drops, we give pirates treasure, we give you GIVEAWAYS! - 22/03/2021
* It's Monday, Monday, Singing and Sailing on Monday! - 26/04/2021
* How many pirates does it take to change THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AS WE KNOW IT?!? - 07/05/2021 Stream Full
* Let's get in the sea and do a music! - 14/05/2021
* Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, chat! - 24/05/2021
* A Stream! Ho! Stream away, we'll Sea of Thieves together, with Kharites - 04/06/2021
* Sea of Sings! Lets hope the internet is fixed... - 19/07/2021
* Sing and Sail with Friends! Joined by @brionykay - 09/08/2021
* Pirate stuff GO! - 24/09/2021
* STREAM Stream stream... - 27/09/2021
* Aga Do Do Do, Eat Pineapples Do A Stream! With KHARITES\_ and Krotukk - 08/10/2021
* Too many gosh darned BUCKETS!!!! ... - 18/10/2021
* Say "A shoddily shod ship" 3 times fast... - 29/10/2021
* Bo.........@? - 15/11/2021
* Sea of Sings for War Child - 30/05/2022

1. ↑ https://secondhandsongs.com/work/139987/all