there are two young lovers they re pledged to each other s hands they meet by the river to talk of their marriage plans i m confessing he said i ve signed for a soldier i m leaving tomorrow for some foreign land she watches the pretty young soldiers as they march themselves off to the war she wonders if she ll ever see him again somehow she doubts it but she has to be sure so she rode into town on the very next day and dressed herself up all in man s array with a sword and a musket she took the king s shilling and to fight in some foreign war she said yes she d be willing all you pretty young soldiers in those uniforms that you ve never worn the captain will come to inspect you all now let me down and you ll all wish you d never been born the captain astride of his horse s grey flanks pulls the pretty young soldier from out of the ranks his gaze it is fixed and she s starting to shake he said follow me soldier and listen to the offer that i m willing to make come you pretty young soldier come and be my right hand you re having this strange effect on my soul that i don t quite understand captain oh captain i ve a confession to make i love someone else and my heart it will break and as she released her brown hair from a band it tumbled all down her shoulders and into his hands oh you pretty young soldier come and take my right hand you re having this strange effect on my soul and now i think i understand 