"Over the Hills and Far Away" is a traditional British song, dating back to at least the late 17th century. One version was published in

Thomas D'Urfey Thomas d'Urfey (a.k.a. Tom Durfey; 165326 February 1723) was an English writer and wit. He wrote plays, songs, jokes, and poems. He was an important innovator and contributor in the evolution of the ballad opera. Life D'Urfey was born in Devonshi ...

's ''

Wit and Mirth, or Pills to Purge Melancholy ''Wit and Mirth: Or Pills to Purge Melancholy'' is the title of a large collection of songs by Thomas d'Urfey, published between 1698 and 1720, which in its final, six-volume edition held over 1,000 songs and poems. The collection started as a sin ...

''; a very different one appeared in

George Farquhar George Farquhar (1677The explanation for the dual birth year appears in Louis A. Strauss, ed., A Discourse Upon Comedy, The Recruiting Officer, and The Beaux’ Stratagem by George Farquhar' (Boston: D.C. Heath & Co., 1914), p. v. Strauss notes ...

's 1706 play ''

The Recruiting Officer ''The Recruiting Officer'' is a 1706 play by the Irish writer George Farquhar, which follows the social and sexual exploits of two officers, the womanising Plume and the cowardly Brazen, in the town of Shrewsbury (the town where Farquhar himse ...

''. A version also appears in

John Gay John Gay (30 June 1685 – 4 December 1732) was an English poet and dramatist and member of the Scriblerus Club. He is best remembered for ''The Beggar's Opera'' (1728), a ballad opera. The characters, including Captain Macheath and Polly Peac ...

's ''

The Beggar's Opera ''The Beggar's Opera'' is a ballad opera in three acts written in 1728 by John Gay with music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch. It is one of the watershed plays in Augustan drama and is the only example of the once thriving genre of satiri ...

'' of 1728. The words have changed over the years, as can be seen in the versions below. The only consistent element in early versions is the title line and the tune. D'Urfey's and Gay's versions both refer to lovers, while Farquhar's version refers to fleeing overseas to join the army. The tune was provided with another set of lyrics for the British '' Sharpe'' television series of the 1990s, based on Farquhar's version. This version was also recorded by

John Tams John Tams (born 16 February 1949) is an English actor, singer, songwriter, composer and musician born in Holbrook, Derbyshire, the son of a publican. He first worked as a reporter for the '' Ripley & Heanor News'' later working for BBC Radio De ...

who played Dan Hagman in the series. The nursery rhyme "

Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son "Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son" is a popular English language nursery rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 19621. Lyrics Modern versions of the rhyme include: :Tom, Tom, the piper's son, :Stole a pig, and away did run; :The pig was eat : ...

" mentions a piper who knows only one tune, this one. Early versions of this, known as "The distracted Jockey's Lamentations", may have been written (but not included) in Thomas D'Urfey's play ''The Campaigners'' (1698): :Tommy was a Piper's Son, :And fell in love when he was young; :But all the Tunes that he could play, :Was, o'er the Hills, and far away. Another nursery rhyme "

Five Little Ducks Five Little Ducks is a traditional children's song. The rhyme also has an associated finger play. Canadian children's folk singer Raffi released it as a single from the '' Rise and Shine'' album. Denise Fleming's 2016 picture book ''5 Little Duck ...

" uses the title of the song as a line. An instrumental version was heard in the ''

Barney & Friends ''Barney & Friends'' is an American children's television series targeted at young children aged 2–7, created by Sheryl Leach. The series premiered on PBS on April 6, 1992. The series features the title character Barney, a purple anthropomorp ...

'' episode "Classical Cleanup".

D'Urfey lyrics

:Jocky met with Jenny fair :Aft by the dawning of the day; :But Jockey now is fu' of care :Since Jenny staw his heart away. :Altho' she promis'd to be true :She proven has, alake! unkind :Which gars poor Jockey aften rue :That e'er he loo'd a fickle mind. ::Tis o'er the hills and far away ::Tis o'er the hills and far away ::Tis o'er the hills and far away ::The wind has blown my plaid away erses omitted :Since that she will nae pity take :I maun gae wander for her sake :And, in ilk wood and gloomy grove :I'll, sighing, sing," Adieu to love. :Since she is fause whom I adore :I'll never trust a woman more; :Frae a' their charms I'll flee away :And on my pipes I'll sweetly play," ::O'er hills and dales and far away ::O'er hills and dales and far away ::O'er hills and dales and far away ::The wind has blawn my plad away.

George Farquhar lyrics

A version of the lyrics by

for his play ''The Recruiting Officer'' from 1706. :Our 'prentice Tom may now refuse :To wipe his scoundrel Master's Shoes, :For now he's free to sing and play :Over the Hills and far away. :Over the Hills and O'er the Main, :To Flanders, Portugal and Spain, :The queen commands and we'll obey :Over the Hills and far away. :We all shall lead more happy lives :By getting rid of brats and wives :That scold and brawl both night and day – :Over the Hills and far away. :Over the Hills and O'er the Main, :To Flanders, Portugal and Spain, :The queen commands and we'll obey :Over the Hills and far away. :Courage, boys, 'tis one to ten, :But we return all gentlemen :While conquering colours we display, :Over the hills and far away. :Over the Hills and O'er the Main, :To Flanders, Portugal and Spain, :The queen commands and we'll obey :Over the Hills and far away.

John Gay lyrics

In ''

'' the song is a duet between the antihero Macheath and his lover Polly. It is a romantic dream of escape, with no military references. MACHEATH: :Were I laid on Greenland's Coast, :And in my Arms embrac'd my Lass; :Warm amidst eternal Frost, :Too soon the Half Year's Night would pass. POLLY: :Were I sold on Indian Soil, :Soon as the burning Day was clos'd, :I could mock the sultry Toil :When on my Charmer's Breast repos'd. MACHEATH: :And I would love you all the Day, POLLY: :Every Night would kiss and play, MACHEATH: :If with me you'd fondly stray POLLY: :Over the Hills and far away

John Tams lyrics

This is the version that is used in the ''Sharpe'' television series with lyrics written by

. Note that each verse is from a different story, as noted at the start of the verse. Chorus: :O'er the hills and o'er the main :Through Flanders, Portugal and Spain. :King George commands and we obey :Over the hills and far away. From ''

Sharpe's Eagle ''Sharpe's Eagle'' is a historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 1981. The story is set in July 1809, in the midst of the Talavera Campaign during the Peninsular War. It was the first Sharpe novel ...

'' & ''

Sharpe's Mission ''Sharpe's Mission'' is a British television drama, the 11th of a series that follows the career of Richard Sharpe, a British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars. Unlike most of the other installments of the series, this episode was not based o ...

'': :Here's forty shillings on the drum :To those who volunteer to come, :To 'list and fight the foe today :Over the Hills and far away. From '' Sharpe's Company'': :Through smoke and fire and shot and shell, :And to the very walls of hell, :But we shall stand and we shall stay :Over the hills and far away From ''

Sharpe's Enemy ''Sharpe's Enemy: Richard Sharpe and the Defence of Portugal, Christmas 1812'' is the fifteenth historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 1984. The story is set in 1812 during the Napoleonic Wars. ...

'': :Though I may travel far from Spain :A part of me shall still remain, :And you are with me night and day :and Over the hills and far away. From ''

Sharpe's Honour ''Sharpe's Honour'' is the sixteenth historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 1985. In the Vitoria Campaign of the Peninsula War in 1813, Sharpe is framed for murder. He must find a way to clear h ...

'' & ''

Sharpe's Siege ''Sharpe's Siege'' is the eighteenth historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 1987. The story is set on the Atlantic coast of France in the Napoleonic wars during the British Invasion of France in ...

'': :Then fall in lads behind the drum :With colours blazing like the sun. :Along the road to come what may :Over the hills and far away. From ''

Sharpe's Gold ''Sharpe's Gold'' is the second (though ninth in chronological order) historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell first published in 1981. The story is set in August 1810 and features the destruction of Almeida during th ...

'': :When Evil stalks upon the land :I'll neither hold nor stay me hand :But fight to win a better day, :Over the hills and far away. From ''

Sharpe's Battle ''Sharpe's Battle'' is the twelfth historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 1995. The story is set during the Peninsular War in Spain in 1811. Plot summary While lost near the Spanish-Portuguese b ...

'': :If I should fall to rise no more, :As many comrades did before, :Ask the fifes and drums to play :Over the hills and far away. From ''

Sharpe's Sword ''Sharpe's Sword'' is a historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell. It is the fourth in the series, being first published in 1983, though the fourteenth chronologically. Set in the summer of 1812 including the Battle of ...

'': :Let kings and tyrants come and go, :I'll stand adjudged by what I know. :A soldiers life I'll ne'er gainsay. :Over the hills and far away. From ''

Sharpe's Challenge ''Sharpe's Challenge'' is a British TV film from 2006, usually shown in two parts, which is part of an ITV series based on Bernard Cornwell's historical fiction novels about the British soldier Richard Sharpe during the Napoleonic Wars. Contra ...

'': :Though kings and tyrants come and go :A soldier's life is all I know :I'll live to fight another day :Over the hills and far away. No version of the song accompanies '' Sharpe's Rifles'', ''

Sharpe's Regiment ''Sharpe's Regiment'' is the seventeenth historical novel in the Sharpe (novel series), Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 1986. The story is set in England as Sharpe looks for the missing Second Battalion of the Sout ...

'', ''

Sharpe's Revenge ''Sharpe's Revenge'' is the nineteenth historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series written by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 1989. The peace of 1814 formally ends the Peninsular War, but it does not end all hostilities among individua ...

'' and ''

Sharpe's Justice ''Sharpe's Justice'' is a British television drama, the 13th of a series that follows the career of Richard Sharpe, a fictional British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars. Unlike most of the other instalments of the series, this episode was n ...

''. A tongue-in-cheek verse appears in ''

Sharpe's Waterloo ''Sharpe's Waterloo'' is a historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell. Originally published in 1990 under the title ''Waterloo'', it is the eleventh novel of the Sharpe series and the twentieth novel in chronological or ...

'': :Old Wellington, he scratched his bum. :He says, "Boney lad, thee's had thee fun." :My riflemen will win the day :Over the hills and far away. Dan Hagman quietly sings the first verse to Perkins when he was dying from getting bayoneted by a Spanish-Irish traitor, O'Rourke, in ''Sharpe's Battle'', and Sharpe himself recites the same verse to the dying Ensign Beauclere in ''Sharpe's Peril''.

Tams's recorded version

Tams recorded a variation of the above lyrics for '' Over the Hills & Far Away: The Music of Sharpe'', the companion CD to the television film series. The song was also recorded by New Zealand singer

Will Martin Will Martin (born 31 August 1984) is a New Zealand-born classical crossover singer. Martin's first album, released in his native New Zealand, went platinum in 6 weeks. The album, called ''A New World'', featured songs such as "Into the West", "I ...

on his debut 2008 album ''New World''. The lyrics for that version go as follows. (Chorus lyrics located at bottom of page) :Here's forty shillings on the drum :For those who volunteer to come, :To 'list and fight the foe today :Over the Hills and far away

horus Horus or Heru, Hor, Har in Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as god of kingship and the sky. He was worshipped from at least the late prehistoric Egypt until the P ...

:When duty calls me I must go :To stand and face another foe :But part of me will always stray :Over the hills and far away

:If I should fall to rise no more :As many comrades did before :Then ask the fifes and drums to play :Over the hills and far away

:Then fall in lads behind the drum :With colours blazing like the sun :Along the road to come what may :Over the hills and far away

O'er the hills and o'er the main :Through Flanders, Portugal and Spain :King George commands and we obey :Over the hills and far away

References

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