Seventy Two and Hard as Steel

AKA	True Blue and Seventy Two Seventy Two Old True Blue
First published	1868

Lyrics

Harry Clifton

Music

Harry Clifton

Roud

21214

I come of a free and jovial race,
A country Squire am I.
With a name that has never yet known disgrace,
And I'll tell you the reason why;
I'm a chip of the block of an ancient stock
And am loyal, brave and true.
And one of a race that can go the pace,
Altho' I'm Seventy-two.

Then cheer, boys, cheer,
For an old true blue,
And one of a race, that can go the pace,
Altho' he's Seventy-two.
[Repeat ff.]

In the red-brick'd hall, with moss cover'd wall,
Where my father he lived and died,
I live at my ease, and do as I please
Caring nought for the world so wide;
The pluck of a Lion, and a muscle of Iron,
And a heart that is honest and true,
Yet a heart that can always for others feel,
Altho' I'm Seventy-two.

No sluggard am I in my bed to lie,
I rise at early dawn,
Thro' meadows I jog, with my gun and my dog,
Or mount at the sound of the horn;
A seat in the saddle I still can keep
With a heigh, Tally-ho, Halloo!
For my limbs are strong, and my wind is long,
Altho' I'm Seventy-two.

At Christmas time, when the bells they chime,
I've a welcome as well as a smile,
And hearty good cheer, for peasant or peer,
In a jolly old English style,
I'm fond of good sport, yet, nevertheless,
My passions I always subdue,
For it's only a fool that loves excess,
And will never reach Seventy-two.

Unlike some of the other songs by Harry Clifton, this one seems to have been published more sporadically, appearing in three 19th century songsters, and not at all as a broadside. It appears to have been collected twice from source singers, in the early 20th century. It also appears in Anne and Frank Warner’s collection of American folk songs, but as yet I have a not found any modern recorded versions – let me know if I’m missing something ;-).

Sources:

• Kilgarriff Sing Us
• Sheet Music: Levy Collection
• Lyrics and Midi as transcribed by Artful Codger on Mudcat Thread

Last Updated on October 26, 2020 by John Baxter | Published: June 8, 2020