“The Girl Volunteer (The Cruel War Is Raging)”
Description
(Johnny) has been ordered off to war. His sweetheart begs to go with him. He refuses her; military service would fade her beauty. She offers to buy his release; this too fails. (In some versions Johnny relents and allows her to come.)
Notes
The Combs version of this song contains a reference to Pensacola -- the port from which many American troops set out for Cuba during the Spanish-American war (1898). The song is clearly much older than that, however. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "The Manchester Angel"
- cf. "Jack Monroe" [Laws N7]
- cf. "William and Nancy (I) (Lisbon; Men's Clothing I'll Put On I)" [Laws N8]
- cf. "The Banks of the Nile (Men's Clothing I'll Put On II)" [Laws N9]
- cf. "High Germany"
Recordings
- Louise Foreacre, "The War Is A-Raging" (on Stonemans01)
- Aunt Polly Joines, "The Warfare is A-Raging" (on Persis1)
- Pete Steele, "The War Is A-Ragin' For Johnny" (on PSteele01)
References
- Laws O33, "The Girl Volunteer"
- Belden, pp. 177-180, "Lisbon" (3 texts, of which this is the third, to which Belden does not assign a letter; the first two are "William and Nancy (I) (Lisbon; Men's Clothing I'll Put On I)" [Laws N8])
- Randolph 44, "Johnny Must Fight" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
- Randolph/Cohen, pp. 94-95, "Johnny Must Fight" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 44B)
- BrownII 100, "The Girl Volunteer" (1 text)
- SharpAp 113, "The Warfare is Raging" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
- Combs/Wilgus 109, pp. 178-179, "I'm Going to Join the Army" (1 text)
- Fuson, p. 104, "Johnny" (1 text)
- Silber-FSWB, p. 272, "The Cruel War Is Raging" (1 text)
- Darling-NAS, pp. 131-132, "May I Go With You, Johnny?" (1 text)
- DT 487, CRUELWAR* CRUELWR2*
- Roud #401
- BI, LO33