From the 1900 comic opera “Foxy Quiller”.
Words by Harry B. Smith.
Music by Reginald de Koven.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- We build the walls of England
The hardy oaken walls
That shall bravely stand
To defend our land
When tower and fortress falls
When tower and fortress falls
We build the walls of England
And strong and staunch they’ll be
Let France and Spain their islands gain
We Britons rule the sea
We Britons rule the sea
I’m not patriotic, I’m not so rash
We build said walls
Just for cold, hard cash
Just for cold, hard cash
Refrain
Then swing the hammer and push the plane
We swing the hammer with might and main
With a creak and a clang
With a rasp and a bang
While the echoes round reply
Saw and ruler, and vice and blade
That is the way that the ship is made
- We make the wealth of England
For where our vessels roam
They garner gold
That the islands hold
And bring the treasure home
And bring the treasure home
We make the fame of England
And keep our country free
Some may withstand our might on land
But none upon the sea
But none upon the sea
I love to contribute to England’s fame
I may add, I am pretty well paid for the same
Well paid for the same
Sung here by Vancha March: