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The Trumpeter

The Claque sang The Trumpeter in 2008 on their WildGoose CD Sounding Now. They noted:

Sean [O’Shea]’s father called this song Trumpet Boy at Balaclava, but it is rightly called The Trumpeter and written by J. Airley-Dix. Sean can trace this as being a family-sung song as far back as the end of the first world war. In places, the melody copies bugle calls from various times in a soldier’s day.

Lyrics

The Claque sing The Trumpeter

Trumpeter, what are you sounding now?
Is it the call I’m seeking?
You know it’s the call, said the trumpeter tall,
For my trumpet goes a-speaking
I’m waking ’em up! I’m waking ’em up!
The tents are a stir in the valley
There’ll be no more sleep till the sun’s last peep,
I’m sounding the old Reveille.

Trumpeter, what are you sounding now?
Is it the call I’m seeking?
You know it’s the call, said the trumpeter tall,
For my trumpet goes a-speaking
I’m urging ’em on, I’m urging ’em on
Where the cannons roars like thunder.
And a cry and a shout as the sabres flash out
I’m sounding the charge, no wonder.

Trumpeter, what are you sounding now?
Is it the call I’m seeking?
Lucky for you that you hear it at all,
For my trumpet’s faintly speaking.
I’m calling ’em home, Come home, come home.
There’s a terrible hush in the valley.
Oh, they’re lying around, face down to the ground
And they can’t hear me sound the last rally.

But they’ll hear it again in loud refrain,
They’ll hear it again in the valley,
Yes, they’ll hear it again in loud refrain,
When Gabriel sounds the last rally.
Yes, they’ll hear it again in loud refrain,
When Gabriel sounds the last rally.