Belafonte is perhaps best known for singing the "Banana Boat Song", with its signature lyric "Day-O". Throughout his career, he was an advocate for civil rights and humanitarian causes.
Belafonte won three Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category and was the oldest living person to have received the honor.
http://singyoursongthemovie.com
Soldier Soldier
Harry Belafonte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With your musket fife and drum?
Oh, how can I marry such a pretty girl as thee
When I got no shoes to put on
Off to the cobbler she did go as fast as she could run,
Bought him a pair of the best that was there
And the soldier put them on
With your musket fife and drum?
Oh, how can I marry such a pretty girl as thee
When I got no socks to put on
Off to the habber-dasher she did go as fast as she could run,
Bought him a pair of the best that was there
And the soldier put them on
Oh, Soldier, Soldier will you marry me
With your musket fife and drum?
Oh, how can I marry such a pretty girl as thee
When I got no pants to put on
Off to the tailor she did go as fast as she could run,
Bought him a pair of the best that was there
And the soldier put them on
Now, Soldier, Soldier will you marry me
With your musket fife and drum?
Oh, how can I marry such a pretty girl as thee
With a wife and a baby at home
The lyrics of Harry Belafonte's song "Soldier, Soldier" tell a story of a young girl asking a soldier to marry her, despite his lack of proper attire for a wedding. The girl is determined to make it happen, running off to various shops and buying the soldier new shoes, socks, and pants. The soldier, however, hesitates to accept her proposal, stating that he already has a wife and child waiting for him at home.
The song can be interpreted in a number of ways, highlighting various themes such as perseverance, sacrifice, and the harsh realities of war. At the heart of the song, however, is a simple love story that is both touching and tragic. On one hand, the girl's unwavering devotion to the soldier is admirable; on the other hand, the soldier's loyalty to his family back home suggests that he cannot or will not reciprocate her affections. This, in turn, raises questions about the nature of love and the sacrifices we make in its name.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Soldier, Soldier will you marry me
The woman is proposing marriage to the soldier.
With your musket fife and drum?
She is alluding to the soldier's profession.
Oh, how can I marry such a pretty girl as thee
The soldier is asking how he could marry the woman, who is attractive, considering his poor state.
When I got no shoes to put on
The soldier cannot afford shoes.
Off to the cobbler she did go as fast as she could run,
The woman rushes to the shoemaker to buy a pair for her soldier.
Bought him a pair of the best that was there
She buys the best shoes available for him.
And the soldier put them on
The soldier puts on the shoes she bought for him.
Oh, how can I marry such a pretty girl as thee
The soldier again expresses doubt he can marry her due to his lack of resources.
When I got no socks to put on
The soldier does not have socks.
Off to the habber-dasher she did go as fast as she could run,
The woman runs to buy socks for him.
Bought him a pair of the best that was there
She buys the best socks available for him.
And the soldier put them on
The soldier puts on the socks she bought for him.
Oh, how can I marry such a pretty girl as thee
The soldier reiterates his inability to provide for the woman.
When I got no pants to put on
The soldier has no pants.
Off to the tailor she did go as fast as she could run,
The woman rushes to the tailor to buy pants for her soldier.
Bought him a pair of the best that was there
She buys the best pants available for him.
And the soldier put them on
The soldier puts on the pants she bought for him.
Now, Soldier, Soldier will you marry me
The woman asks again if the soldier will marry her.
With your musket fife and drum?
She still alludes to his profession as a soldier.
Oh, how can I marry such a pretty girl as thee
The soldier feels unable to marry the woman due to having a wife and baby at home.
With a wife and a baby at home
The soldier has responsibilities already and cannot take on a new family.
Writer(s): Pete Seeger, Fred Hellerman, Lee Hays, Ronnie Gilbert
Contributed by Michael N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Anjali Kanswal
Oh, soldier, soldier will you marry me
With your musket fife and drum?
Oh, how can I marry such a pretty girl as thee
When I got no shoes to put on
Off to the cobbler she did go as fast as she could run,
Bought him a pair of the best that was there
And the soldier put them on
Oh, soldier, soldier will you marry me
With your musket fife and drum?
Oh, how can I marry such a pretty girl as thee
When I got no socks to put on
Off to the habber-dasher she did go as fast as she could run,
Bought him a pair of the best that was there
And the soldier put them on
Oh, soldier, soldier will you marry me
With your musket fife and drum?
Oh, how can I marry such a pretty girl as thee
When I got no pants to put on
Off to the tailor she did go as fast as she could run,
Bought him a pair of the best that was there
And the soldier put them on
Now, soldier, soldier will you marry me
With your musket fife and drum?
Oh, how can I marry such a pretty girl as thee
With a wife and a baby at home