# Wasaw Forty-Second **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 23, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasaw-forty-second/381501 "2006-11-23T00:46:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasaw-forty-second/381501/1 "2006-11-23T00:46:30Z")
I guess I was about ten years old when I heard this song. This is what I found online: \*Wasaw forty-second Wasaw gone to war Wasaw forty-second Marching through the brambles raw. Some of them got boots and stockings Some of them got nay no more Some of them got boots and stockings Marching through the brambles raw.\* Only my teacher sang: \*Wasaw **in forty seconds** Wasaw **gonna wa’** Wasaw **in forty seconds** Marching through the brambles **braugh** **Zoom-de-dim-dah** boots and stockings **Zoom-de-dim-dah gonna wa’ Zoom-de-dim-dah** boots and stockings Marching through the brambles **braugh** \* ‘Braugh’, he explained, was a Scottish brogue pronunciation of ‘broad’. Poking around the 'net some more, I found: \*Wa saw the forty second Wa saw gonna wa Wa saw the forty second Marching throught the brambles raw. Zum da dem got boots and stockings Zum da dem got none at all, Zum da dem got boots and stockings Marching through the bramles raw.\* What is the origin of this song? What are the actual words to it? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasaw-forty-second/381501/2 "2006-11-23T03:38:07Z")
Scottish folk song, in dialect, from the Crimean War: _Wha saw the [Forty-Second](http://www.geocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/6039/black.html)? Wha saw them gaun a-wa? Wha saw the Forty-Second Marchin’ doon the [Broomielaw](http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/GettingAround/River/riverclydepontoonhistory.htm)? Some o’ them had buits an’ stockins Some o’ them had nane at a’ Some o’ them had tartan trousers_ Who saw the Forty-Second Who saw them going away? Who saw the Forty-Second Marching down the [Broomielaw](http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/GettingAround/River/riverclydepontoonhistory.htm) Some of them had boots and stockings Some of them had none at all Some of them had tartan trousers Marching down the Broomielaw The 42nd Regiment, also known as the Black Watch Regiment, was Scotland’s oldest. [More here](http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiMARCH42;ttMARCH42.html).