“A Health to the Company (Come All My Old Comrades)”

Description

Singer, preparing to emigrate, gives a toast: "Come all my old comrades, Come now let us join, Come blend your sweet voices in chorus with mine.... So here's a health to the company, and one to my lass... For we may and might never all meet here again."

Notes

There is a broadside, NLScotland, L.C.Fol.70(41b), "Drink and be Merry, or The Bold 42!," (There was a puir lassie, I pity her lot"), Poet's Box (Dundee), c. 1890, which has this chorus, but the rest is about a girl saying goodbye to a soldier off to the wars. It's not clear which is earlier, but the broadside is quite commonplace. - RBW

Recordings

• Belle, Sheila, and Cathie Stewart, "The Parting Song" (on SCStewartsBlair01)

References

1. Creighton/Senior, pp. 222-223, "Come All My Old Comrades" (2 texts, 1 tune)
2. Creighton-NovaScotia 59, "Come All Ye Old Comrades" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Ord, pp. 350-351, "The Emigrant's Farewell to Donside" (1 text plus sundry stanzas, 1 tune)
4. Tunney-StoneFiddle, p. 172, "Kind Friends and Companions" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. Morton-Ulster 50, "We May and Might Never All Meet Here Again" (1 text, 1 tune)
6. DT, HLTHCOMP*
7. Roud #1801
8. BI, CrSe222