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I Wish That the Wars Were All Over

[ Roud 2036 ; trad.]

Roy Harris sang I Would That the Wars Were All Over on the 1979 Fellside album The Rambling Soldier. and Helen Hockenhull sang it on the 1980 Muckram Wakes's album Warbles, Jangles and Reeds.

There is a YouTube video of Eliza Carthy & The Ratcatchers (Jon Boden, Ben Ivitsky and John Spiers) singing I Wish That the Wars Were All Over at Buxton Opera House in 2007. She wrote in this Mudcat Café thread (which also provided the lyrics below) that the words are mostly from Roy Palmer's book Rambling Sailor, and that this song will appear on the next Waterson:Carthy album.

Jon Boden sang I Wish That the Wars Were All Over as the July 3, 2010 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

Lyrics

Helen Hockenhull sings I Would That the Wars Were All Over

In the meadow one morning when pearly with dew
A fair pretty maiden plucked violets so blue,
I heard a sweet voice making all the woods ring -
Oh my love is in Flanders to fight for the king
And I would that the wars were all over
Oh I would that the wars were all done.

I'll pluck the red robin so jaunty and gay,
Yet I have my Robin but he's far away.
His jacket is red and his cheeks as the rose
And he sings of his Nell as to battle he goes.
And I would that the wars were all over
Oh I would that the wars were all done.

Ten thousands of bluebells now welcome the spring
Oh when will the church bells the victory ring
And the soldiers return and all England rejoice?
Oh then I'll be wed to the lad of my choice.
And I would that the wars were all over
Oh I would that the wars were all done.

(repeat first verse)

Eliza Carthy sings I Wish That the Wars Were All Over

In the meadow one morning when pearly with dew
A fair pretty maiden she plucked violets blue,
And I heard a clear voice making all the woods ring -
My love he's in Flanders to fight for the king.
How I wish that the wars were all over
I wish that the wars were all done.

I'll pluck the red robin so jaunty and gay.
Well I had my robin but he flew far away.
His little jacket was red and his cheeks as the rose
How he sings of his girl as to battle he goes.
How I wish that the wars were all over
I wish that the wars were all done.

Ten thousand of bluebells now welcome the spring
Oh when will the church bells of this victory ring
When do our soldiers return, when do we rejoice
And when do I wed to the love of my choice
How I wish that the wars were all over
I wish that the wars were all done.