Folk Song for September 2026: The Bold Grenadier

The Bold Grenadier is also known as "One Morning in May" or "The Brave Volunteer." It is an English folk song dating back to the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century, but has it also been sung in North America. There are many variations of the song, some of which are more family-friendly than others.(Please be warned.) 

In an earlier post about this song, Wendi Capehart noted the following:

"[Some] versions begin 'one morning, one morning, one morning in May...' I've read that this is typical of the American versions, and the 'a-walking one morning in May' is more typical of those sung in the British Isles.

"Some refer to the brave volunteer rather than the bold grenadier. Both are soldiers, According to Wikipedia, the grenadiers were first established in the 17th century. Chosen from the largest and strongest soldiers, their primary function was throwing grenades. Over time the grenadiers retained their elite status, but were no longer strictly associated with grenade throwing."

The lyrics that Wendi chose(below) match those sung by Hannah James on the 2006 CD  "Links," by the folk band Kerfuffle.

Lyrics

As I was a-walking one morning in May 

I spied a young couple a-making of hay. 

Oh, one was a fair maid, and her beauty shone clear, 

And the other was a soldier, a bold grenadier.

 

  "Good morning, Good morning, Good morning," said he.

 "Oh, where are you a-going, my pretty lady?" 

"I am going for a walk, by the clear crystal stream, 

To see cool waters glide and hear nightingales sing.:

 

They had not been there but an hour or two, 

When out of his knapsack a fiddle he drew 

And the tune that he played made the valleys to ring. 

"Hark! Hark!" cried the lady, "hear the nightingales sing." 

 

 Kind soldier, kind soldier, will you marry me? 

Oh no, my sweet lady that never can be,

 I've a good wife at home, in my own country, 

Two wives and the army's too many for me.

 

As I was a walking one morning in May, 

I spied a young couple a-making of hay. 

Oh, one was a fair maid and her beauty shone clear;

And the other was a soldier, a bold grenadier. 

Video Links

Isla Cameron singing (offscreen) in the 1967 film Far From the Madding Crowd. Although the video begins with scenes of a graveyard, there is nothing else to worry about in the film footage. The audio is clear and easy to follow, and the lyrics are included on the YouTube page.

Kerfuffle performing their version of the Bold Grenadier. Sadly, this is not a great-quality video, but it is included so that you can hear how that group sang it.

Gabriele Kohl singing a fairly short version.

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