Way back in 1869
My great-grandad was born
And he took his infant steps
Upon a British lawn
The gypsy woman always said
He’d be a roving lad
And she was right
For Africa called to my great-grandad

Now grandpa saw the light of day
In 1893
And he was raised on ol’ blue ground
Of dusty Kimberley
But great-grandad was fighting in
The Matabele war
And here’s the song my great-grandmother sang to my grandpa

Daddy is a trooper
He’s many miles away
Go to sleep and don’t you weep
While mother kneels to pray
Daddy is a trooper
Oh Lord be with him now
Shine your light on him tonight
And keep him safe somehow

And then in 1917
My father breathed his first
But grandpa was at war in France
With fighting at it’s worst
And in the mud and gas and blood
Of World War number One
He seemed to hear my grandma singing
To her little son

Well I was born in ’43
And father never knew
A loyal soldier of the king
In World War number Two
The living days were hard for us
And waiting was so long
But mother always used to smile
And sing this little song

Daddy is a trooper
He’s many miles away
Go to sleep and don’t you weep
While mother kneels to pray
Daddy is a trooper
Oh Lord be with him now
Shine your light on him tonight
And keep him safe somehow

Somewhere in North Rhodesia
In 1973
I had the news
A little baby son was born to me
His mother sang a lullaby
I'm sure I’ve heard before
For it’s been flowing in our veins
A hundred years or more

Daddy is a trooper
He’s many miles away
Go to sleep and don’t you weep
While mother kneels to pray
Daddy is a trooper
Oh Lord be with him now
Shine your light