Poem by Andrew Barton Paterson

The Rum Parade

Now ye gallant Sydney boys, who have left your household joys 
To march across the sea in search of glory, 
I am very much afraid that you do not love parade, 
But the rum parade is quite another story. 
For the influenza came and to spoil its little game, 
They ordered us to drink a curious mixture; 
Though at first it frightened some, when we found it mostly rum, 
Parade became a very pleasant fixture. 

Chorus 

So it’s forward the Brigade, if they’ll hold a rum parade 
At Pretoria there’s nothing to alarm ye; 
And it’s easy to be seen if they leave the quinine, 
Ye’ll be there before the blessed British Army. 
Then a corporal he come and he said I drank the rum, 
But the quinine never reached its destination; 
For begob he up and swored that I threw it overboard, 
Sure my heart was filled with grief and indignation. 
For I’m different to some, I prefer quinine to rum, 
And I only take the rum just as a favour, 
And it’s easy to be seen I’m so fond of the quinine, 
That I keep it lest the rum should spoil its flavour. 


When we get to Africay we’ll be landed straight away, 
And quartered with the troops of Queen Victoria; 
And we hope they’ll understand that the moment that we land 
We are ready for a march upon Pretoria. 
And we’ll pay off all the scores on old Kruger and his Boers, 
And just to prove our manners aren’t a failure, 
And to show we are not mean, shure we’ll give them the quinine, 
And drink the rum in honour of Australia.

1. A Grain of Desert Sand
2. That Half-Crown Sweep
3. Under the Shadow of Kiley’s Hill
4. Song of the Artesian Water
5. The Two Devines

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