Alfred Edward Housman: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

The Recruit

Alfred Edward Housman

“The Recruit” as printed in A Shropshire Lad (1896).

Alfred Edward Housman: Collected Lyrics Text 44 1896 · historical text
Public domainSong lyricsVictorian song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from A Shropshire Lad, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Leave your home behind, lad,

And reach your friends your hand,

And go, and luck go with you

While Ludlow tower shall stand.

Verse 2

Oh, come you home of Sunday

When Ludlow streets are still

And Ludlow bells are calling

To farm and lane and mill,

Verse 3

Or come you home of Monday

When Ludlow market hums

And Ludlow chimes are playing

'The conquering hero comes,'

Verse 4

Come you home a hero,

Or come not home at all,

The lads you leave will mind you

Till Ludlow tower shall fall.

Verse 5

And you will list the bugle

That blows in lands of morn,

And make the foes of England

Be sorry you were born.

Verse 6

And you till trump of doomsday

On lands of morn may lie,

And make the hearts of comrades

Be heavy where you die.

Verse 7

Leave your home behind you,

Your friends by field and town:

Oh, town and field will mind you

Till Ludlow tower is down.

Credits

Written by Alfred Edward Housman

Words by Alfred Edward Housman. Historical text published in A Shropshire Lad (1896); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

A Shropshire Lad (1896), “The Recruit”

A. E. Housman (1859-1936) died more than 89 years ago; his works entered the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions in 2007, and the 1896 first edition is in the public domain in the United States. Entries credited to other hands are held unless their author died more than 70 years ago.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-27. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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