|
"The Lincolnshire Poacher" is a traditional English folk song.
It is catalogued in the Roud Folk Song Index as #299. The earliest printed version appeared in York about 1776. In 1857 Robert Bell wrote in Ancient Poems, Ballads and Songs of the Peasantry of England: "This very old ditty has been transformed into the dialects of Somersetshire, Northumberland and Leicestershire, but it properly belongs to Lincolnshire."The song is said to have been a favorite of King George IV. "The Lincolnshire Poacher" was the regimental quick march of the 10th Regiment of Foot and its successors the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment and the 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, who are known as "the Poachers". It was also the regimental march of the 2nd battalion The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire). It is the principal musical theme of the quick march of the Intelligence Corps. Prior to 1881 this Battalion had been the 81st Regiment of Foot (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers) and is also the authorized march of The Lincoln and Welland Regiment of the Canadian Forces. The tune was used by many New York Regiments during the Civil War as "The New York Volunteer". The tune is used for "The Chandler's Wife" in the bawdy song section. John Roberts and Tony Barrand sang "The Lincolnshire Poacher" on their first album, Spencer the Rover Is Alive and Well (1971). It was also recorded by Richard Dyer-Bennet and others. I learned it from Roberts and Barrand. |