Warner is a Folklorist and Community Scholar for the New Hampshire Council on the Arts,and has been named a 2007 State Arts Council Fellow. He has toured nationally for the Smithsonian Institution and has recorded for Flying Fish/Rounder and other labels. His 1995 recording, Two Little Boys, received a Parents’ Choice Award.
He is the editor of Traditional American Folksongs from the Frank and Anne Warner Collection (Syracuse University Press, 1984), and producer of the CD set Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still: The Warner Collection (Appleseed Recordings, 2000). Both publications make available the work of his parents, who were pioneer collectors of songs from rural America. Her Bright Smile is the actual voices of singers who were born from 1860 to 1900, recorded by the Warners on early disk recorders.
Jeff Warner is past president of the Country Dance and Song Society, a past officer of the North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance, has been an artist for Virginia, Ohio and Utah Arts Councils and is past producer of the Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival.
from New Hampshire State Council on the Arts:
Jeff Warner attributes his interest in both scholarship and musicianship to the work of his parents, the well known music historians Frank and Anne Warner. At ages 3, 8 and 16 Warner accompanied his parents on a few of their trips throughout the Eastern US and Canada and sat and listened while they recorded the locals who remembered the old songs of their region and community. These significant recordings are preserved for posterity in the Library of Congress.
In his early years Warner lived in Greenwich Village with his family and later attended Duke University where he earned a BA in English. After a two-year stint in the Navy, he continued his studies at New York University under the G.I. Bill.
In the 60s Warner was editor-in-training at Doubleday Bookclubs. He seemed headed toward a literary career, until a friend asked if he would help out with a non-profit music school, called the Guitar Workshop, in Roslyn, Long Island in NY. Warner stayed with the school for nine years as the only paid staff person, and worked as administrator, guitar teacher, grant writer, and community program coordinator. He says he learned music theory and arrangement by teaching. His position also helped put him in touch with the significant people involved in the post-WWII folk revival movement that was embraced by both the commercial and academic worlds.
In the 70s Warner left to carve out a career for himself in historical music. Because of the US Bicentennial there was an increased demand for American songs in schools and Jeff filled that need with outreach programs into the schools.
In explaining his work, Warner points out that he is not a traditional singer in the academic sense. A traditional singer is one who has acquired the traditions, either through ethnicity or family ties. Warner prefers to refer to himself as a singer of traditional songs. He takes an historical approach to the music and has become known as a “folklorist/historian and community scholar.” In describing his work, he says: “I teach American history and culture through traditional song.” He borrows a phrase from historian David McCullough, who said, “my mission is to make history as interesting as it really was.” For Warner, old songs are like archaeological objects which teach a lot about history, “…they’re living historical artifacts that serve as evidence about the people who used them and the times they lived in.”
In 1997, he moved to Portsmouth and began doing outreach to NH schools as a Roster Artist through the State Arts Council. He has recorded for Flying Fish/Rounder and other labels. His first solo compact disk, recorded in 2005, is Jolly Tinker onGumstump Records. His 1995 recording, Two Little Boys, received a Parents' Choice Award. He is the editor of Traditional American Folksongsfrom the Frank and Anne Warner Collection (Syracuse University Press, 1984), and producer of the set Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still: The Warner Collection (Appleseed Recordings, 2000), which is comprised of his parents’ recordings. He appears on the State Arts Council’s 2003 compact disk Songs of the Seasons, for which he also co-wrote the liner notes.
From 1979 to 1993 Jeff Warner toured nationally with the Smithsonian Associates and is past president of the Country Dance and Song Society, and a past officer of the North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance. He has been an artist for Virginia, Ohio and Utah Arts Councils and is past producer of the Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival. He has been the recipient of numerous grants from the NH Humanities Council.
from CDBABY
For the Black 'N Blue guitarist known as Jef "Woop" Warner, see Jef Warner.
Only a Soldier
Jeff Warner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He courted a lady who had riches in great store,
Her riches were so great that they scarcely could be told,
And yet she loved her soldier for he was brave and bold.
She said, my honored soldier, I fain would be your wife,
But my old Tory father would surely take my life,
He took his sword and pistols and hung them by his side,
As they had been to church and were coming home again,
They met her cruel father and seven well-armed men,
Let us flee, cried the lady, for fear we shall be slain,
Fear nothing, said the soldier to his charmer again.
But her father then addressed her and unto her did say,
What is this behavior, is this your wedding day?
Since you have been so foolish to be a soldier's wife,
All in this lonesome valley I will surely end your life.
Oh no, cried the soldier, you know not what you say,
I have not been defeated and shall not be today,
He drew forth his broadsword, his pistol he did rattle,
And the lady held the horses while the soldier fought the battle.
Now the first one he came to, he had him quickly slain,
And the next one he came to, he ran him through the same,
Let us flee, cried the others, or else we shall be slain,
To fight a valiant soldier is surely all in vain.
The father cried, you butcher, you make my blood run cold,
But you shall have my daughter and a thousand pounds in gold,
Fight on, cried the lady, our portion is too small!
Stay your hand, cried the father, and you shall have it all.
So he took the soldier home and he made him son and heir,
But not for love he bore him, but just from dread and fear,
There never was a soldier who would ever fire a gun,
Who would ever flinch a hair till the battle it was won.
So don't despise a soldier because that he is poor,
He truly is a knight, as he was in days of yore,
He's bold, brisk and jolly, both sociable and free,
He'd soon as fight for love as to fight for liberty.
The song "Only a Soldier" by Jeff Warner tells the story of a soldier who falls in love with a wealthy lady, but her father disapproves of their relationship due to his opposition to soldiers. Despite her father's opposition, they decide to marry and as they are returning home from church, they are intercepted by the father and his armed men who threaten to kill the soldier. However, the soldier chooses to fight against them and successfully defeats them. As a result, the father agrees to give his daughter's hand in marriage along with a thousand pounds in gold.
The song emphasizes the bravery and devotion of soldiers, who despite being poor, are knights at heart and would fight for love and liberty. It highlights the stereotypes and biases against soldiers and their lack of social status in society. The soldier's determination and courage to fight for his love against all odds are portrayed as something to be admired.
In terms of historical context, the song represents the struggles and hardships of soldiers who had to fight for their country's freedom in different wars throughout history. Soldiers often faced societal stigmatization, poverty, and discrimination despite their valor and bravery on the battlefield.
Line by Line Meaning
I will tell you of a soldier who lately came from war,
Let me tell you a story of a soldier who recently returned from war.
He courted a lady who had riches in great store,
He was in love with a wealthy lady.
Her riches were so great that they scarcely could be told,
The lady had an immense amount of wealth.
And yet she loved her soldier for he was brave and bold.
Despite the difference in their social status, the lady loved the soldier because of his courage.
She said, my honored soldier, I fain would be your wife,
The lady expressed her desire to marry the soldier.
But my old Tory father would surely take my life,
The lady's father was strongly against the idea of her marrying a soldier.
He took his sword and pistols and hung them by his side,
The soldier armed himself with sword and pistols.
And swore that he would marry her, whatever did betide.
The soldier was determined to marry the lady, despite the opposition from her father.
As they had been to church and were coming home again,
The couple had just finished attending church and were heading back home.
They met her cruel father and seven well-armed men,
The lady's father had brought seven armed men to stop the couple from getting married.
Let us flee, cried the lady, for fear we shall be slain,
The lady wanted to run away to avoid being killed.
Fear nothing, said the soldier to his charmer again.
The soldier encouraged the lady to stay calm and not worry.
But her father then addressed her and unto her did say,
The father spoke to the lady and said,
What is this behavior, is this your wedding day?
He was surprised that the couple was getting married without his consent.
Since you have been so foolish to be a soldier's wife,
The father criticized his daughter for wanting to marry a soldier.
All in this lonesome valley I will surely end your life.
The father threatened to kill his daughter if she goes ahead with the marriage.
Oh no, cried the soldier, you know not what you say,
The soldier disagreed and told the father he was mistaken.
I have not been defeated and shall not be today,
The soldier was confident and believed that he could win.
He drew forth his broadsword, his pistol he did rattle,
The soldier unsheathed his sword and made noise with his pistol.
And the lady held the horses while the soldier fought the battle.
The lady held the horses while the soldier engaged in combat.
Now the first one he came to, he had him quickly slain,
The soldier killed the first of the armed men quickly.
And the next one he came to, he ran him through the same,
He quickly killed the second armed man as well.
Let us flee, cried the others, or else we shall be slain,
The remaining men begged to leave, fearing they would be killed too.
To fight a valiant soldier is surely all in vain.
The men thought it was pointless to fight such a brave soldier.
The father cried, you butcher, you make my blood run cold,
The father insulted the soldier for killing his men.
But you shall have my daughter and a thousand pounds in gold,
The father relented and promised the soldier his daughter and a large sum of money.
Fight on, cried the lady, our portion is too small!
The lady encouraged the soldier to keep fighting for a larger reward.
Stay your hand, cried the father, and you shall have it all.
The father told the soldier to stop fighting in exchange for a bigger reward.
So he took the soldier home and he made him son and heir,
The father took the soldier home and made him his son and heir.
But not for love he bore him, but just from dread and fear,
The father did not do this out of love, but because he was afraid of the soldier.
There never was a soldier who would ever fire a gun,
The soldier was brave and would never back down from a fight.
Who would ever flinch a hair till the battle it was won.
The soldier would not back down until he had emerged victorious.
So don't despise a soldier because that he is poor,
The song advises people not to underestimate soldiers just because they are poor.
He truly is a knight, as he was in days of yore,
Soldiers are like the chivalric knights from the past.
He's bold, brisk and jolly, both sociable and free,
The soldier is confident, friendly, and likes to enjoy life.
He'd soon as fight for love as to fight for liberty.
The song says that a soldier is willing to fight for causes like freedom as well as for the ones they love.
Contributed by Chase M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.