Bugles in the Afternoon

Lyrics

[Verse 1] A daring young corporal loved sweet Polly Ann Polly was promised to the captain man To the captain man The corporal say, "Polly, kiss me tenderly" Polly say to the corporal, "I hope the captain don't catch me" "I hope he don't catch me" [Chorus 1] And the captain marched his soldiers And the soldiers sang a tune And the corporal courted Polly And the bugles played in the afternoon [Verse 2] The captain say, "I don't think Polly's love is true" He say, "Come here, Corporal, I wanna talk to you" "I wanna talk to you" "There's trouble with the Indians, you ride out and see And if there's less than fifty, don't you bother me" "Don't you bother me" [Chorus 2] And the captain marched his soldiers And the soldiers sang a tune And the corporal rode away And the bugles played in the afternoon [Verse 3] Next morning they found the corporal lying there on the ground Forty six dead Indians laying there all around Laying all around The captain said, "The corporal was so brave, you see There wasn't fifty Indians, so he didn't bother me He didn't bother me" [Chorus 3] And the captain marched his soldiers And the soldiers sang a tune And Polly cried for the corporal And the bugles played in the afternoon