Lyrics
He was just a blue-eyed Boston boy,
Introduction of a young man from Boston with blue eyes.
His voice was low with pain.
Describes the low, pained voice of the Boston boy.
"I'll do your bidding, comrade mine,
Expresses the boy's willingness to follow orders from his comrade.
If I ride back again.
Promises to follow orders if he survives and returns.
But if you ride back and I am left,
If the comrade survives and he doesn't, requests equal care for him.
You'll do as much for me,
Emphasizes reciprocity in care between comrades.
Mother, you know, must hear the news,
The mother must be informed of any news, implying the potential for tragedy.
So write to her tenderly.
Requests a tender letter to be written to the mother.
"She's waiting at home like a patient saint,
Describes the anxious state of the waiting mother at home.
Her fond face pale with woe.
Portrays the mother's face as pale with worry.
Her heart will be broken when I am gone,
Anticipates the mother's heartbreak when the son is gone.
I'll see her soon, I know."
Expresses hope to reunite with the mother in the afterlife.
Just then the order came to charge,
Receive an order to charge into battle.
For an instance hand touched hand.
Comrades touch hands briefly before the charge.
They said, "Aye," and away they rode,
They agree and ride off as a brave and devoted group.
That brave and devoted band.
Depicts the bravery of the charging band.
Straight was the track to the top of the hill,
Describes the path leading to the top of the hill.
The rebels they shot and shelled,
Rebels shoot and shell, causing death and destruction.
Plowed furrows of death through the toiling ranks,
Portrays the grim impact of rebel attacks on the charging ranks.
And guarded them as they fell.
Guarded the fallen comrades as they met their end.
There soon came a horrible dying yell
Describes the horrific yell from the unreachable heights.
From heights that they could not gain,
Refers to those who could not reach the top and faced doom.
And those whom doom and death had spared
Survivors return slowly from the battle.
Rode slowly back again.
Details the fate of those spared by death and doom.
But among the dead that were left on the hill
Among the dead is the blue-eyed boy with curly hair.
Was the boy with the curly hair.
Describes the deceased boy's physical features.
The tall dark man who rode by his side
Mentions the tall dark man who died beside him.
Lay dead beside him there.
Emphasizes the camaraderie even in death.
There's no one to write to the blue-eyed girl
No one is left to convey the lover's words to the blue-eyed girl.
The words that her lover had said.
Highlighting the communication gap due to the lover's death.
Momma, you know, awaits the news,
The mother awaits news about her son.
And she'll only know he's dead.
Conveys the finality of the son's death to the mother.
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