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Fare thee well, ye banks of Sicily,
Fare thee well, ye valley and shore;
There's no man will mourn the likes of ye,
Poor bloody soldiers are weary.
The piper is tuned up and piping away,
He will not come 'round for his vino today;
The sky o'er Messina is cloudy and grey,
And the song that he's playing is eerie.
Fare thee well, ye banks of Sicily,
Fare thee well, ye valley and shore;
There's no man will mourn the likes of ye,
Poor bloody soldiers are weary.
It's march down the square, and ship out on the bay,
Packs on your back as the boats sail away;
Waiting your turn while the pipes and drums play,
And the song that they're playing is eerie.
Fare thee well, ye banks of Sicily,
Fare thee well, ye valley and shore;
There's no man will mourn the likes of ye,
Poor bloody soldiers are weary.
Yes, fare thee well, ye banks of Sicily,
Fare thee well, ye valley and shore;
There's no man will mourn the likes of ye,
Poor bloody soldiers are weary.
This arrangement recorded by Ryan's Fancy (Looking Back, ©1972, Audat Records).
See more songs by Ryan's Fancy.
Note: In the original version of his song, Hamish Henderson commemorates The 51st Highland Division's Farewell To Sicily following the Allied invasion on July 10, 1943, considered to be the largest amphibious assault of WW II.
