West's Farewell

DESCRIPTION: Singer has been called to join Zachary Taylor in the Mexican War. He can't wait to go. "Jesus helps me to surrender All I love without a tear." "Father, Mother, Sister Brother, Taylor calls. O let me go!"
AUTHOR: Benjamin West (?) (source: Frank-JollySailorsBold)
EARLIEST DATE: 1846 (source: Frank-JollySailorsBold)
KEYWORDS: army recruiting war parting nonballad parody family soldier Mexico
FOUND IN: US(NE)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Frank-JollySailorsBold 22, "West's Farewell" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #2062
NOTES [133 words]: Frank has this as a parody of "The Bride's Farewell." (Frank-JollySailorsBold p. 47) Aside from the verse structure and that the three verses begin "Farewell mother," "Farewell father" and "Farewell sister" there is little to share here with "The Bride's Farewell." There is nothing humorous about the fear of war expressed in "West's Farewell." - BS
For background on Zachary Taylor and the Mexican War, see especially "Santy Anno." American forces in the Mexican War were mostly volunteers -- the United States had a very small regular army at the time -- but Taylor's army started with more regulars than most, because it took time to raise volunteers.
Roud lumps this with "The Bride's Farewell." Possibly this is modeled on that, but this is clearly a rewrite, so the Ballad Index separates. - RBW
Last updated in version 7.0
File: FJSB022

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