Jolly good luck to the girl that loves a soldier

AKA Find the military man who’s really worthy of the name
First Published 1906
Writer/composer FW Leigh / Kenneth Lyle Roud RNV26370

Music Hall Performers Vesta Tilley
Folk performances none? 

Find the military man who's really worthy of the name
He's never behind hand when duty's to be done
He's the fellow you can trust to try
And win the game whatever the prize waiting to be won
By Jingo don't the girls know that as well as I
do? Isn't the fact made plain every day
When you see them strolling by a soldiers side
Who could ever be more proud than they?

Jolly good luck to the girl that loves a soldier
Girls - have you been there?
You know we military men
Always do our duty everywhere
Jolly good luck to the girl that loves a soldier
Real good boys are we
Girls - if you'd like to love a soldier you can all love me.

Don't you think I'm a hero from the wars, because I'm not
But nevertheless I've faced powder don't you see
I've been in some engagements, too,
And some were duced hot, for one of the girls, nearly captured me
Great Scott! When I reflect how nearly I was done
For. well I could call myself horrible names
It would have been most unfair to marry one
For some other girl had equal claims.

Girls, I want to advise you will you please attend to me?
When choosing a sweetheart, pray choose the proper sort
Don't you have anything to do?
With men who sail the sea, they're regular flirts! Wives in every port
You'll never find a soldier act in such a way
I think to be hard on him's nothing but cheek
Perhaps you won't believe what I'm about to say
I was true to one girl all last week.

Vesta Tilley sang this one dressed as a soldier and directed the words to the young women in her audience. Like many performers in the halls, she enthusiastically supported World War I, sometimes in ways that feel uncomfortable today. During the war she was often referred to as “Britain’s best recruiting sergeant” and legend has it that at one performance so many young men signed up that they talked forming a “Vesta Tilley Brigade”. The lyrics were written by the prolific Fred W Leigh.

At the centenary of the war, Bella Hardy recorded an introspective response to the original, check it out below…

Vesta sings it:

A modern response:

Sources: