The Protestant Boys
Notation:
Standard Notation
ABC Notation
Mandolin Tablature
traditional
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Standard Notation
Mandolin Tablature
Song Sheet
Irish
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Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush
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Lyrics:
The Protestant Boys are loyal and true
Stout hearted in battle and stout-handed too.
The Protestant Boys are true to the last
And faithful and peaceful when danger has passed
And Oh! they bear and proudly wear
The colours that floated o'er many a fray
Where cannon were flashing and sabres were clashing
The Protestant Boys still carried the day.
When treason was rampant and traitors were strong
And law was defied by a vile rebel throng,
When thousands were banded the throne to cast down
The Protestants rallied and stood by the Crown
And oft in fight, by day and night
They countered the rebels in many a fray
Where red pikes were bristling and bullets were whistling
The Protestant Boys still carried the day.
And still does the fame of their glory remain
Unclouded by age and undimmed by a stain
And ever and ever their cause we'll uphold
The cause of the true and the trusted and bold
And scorn to yield or quit the field
While over our heads the old colors shall play
And traitors shall tremble when' er we assemble
For Protestant Boys shall carry the day.
The Protestant Boys are loyal and true
Though fashions are changed and the loyal are few.
The Protestant Boys are true to the last
Though cowards belie them when danger has past.
Aye! still we stand a loyal band
And reck not the liars whatever they say,
For let the drums rattle the summons to battle
The Protestant Boys must carry the day.
"The Protestant Boys", also known as "Lillibulero", "Lilly Bullery", "Bumpers are Flowing"<br> and "Orange and Green Will Carry the Day" is an Irish (originally) and American jig or<br> air in 6/8 time and G Major (Bayard, Jarman, O'Neill), D Major (Bayard, Levey) or<br> A Major (Gunn, Kerr). The parts are played AB (most versions) or AABB (Gunn, Kerr/vol. 4).<br> The tune, originally "Lillibulero", was associated by the Irish with the conquering English<br> of William of Orange and was subsequently adopted by the Protestant Scots-Irish as a<br> kind of patriotic anthem. Chappell and Simpson cite several 17th century broadsides of an<br> anti-Catholic nature that could have been sung to the tune, all of which feature the<br> phrase "Protestant Boys" prominently and recurrently. On the strength of this<br> Bayard (1981) dates the version of this tune married to the title above from the late<br> 1680's on. <br> It was printed in Bayard's Dance to the Fiddle (1981),<br> William Gunn's The Caledonian Repository of Music Adapted for the Bagpipes (1848),<br> Jarman's Old Time Fiddlin' Tunes,<br> Kerr's Merry Melodies, vol. 4 (c.1880’s),<br> R.M. Levey's First Collection of the Dance Music of Ireland (1858),<br> O'Neill's O’Neill’s Irish Music (1915) and<br> O'Neill's Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies (1903) <br> It was recorded The F&W String Band.<br>
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