"The Minstrel Boy" is an Irish patriotic song written by Thomas Moore (1779–1852) who set it to the melody of The Moreen, an old Irish air. It is widely believed that Moore composed the song in remembrance of a number of his friends, whom he met while studying at Trinity College, Dublin and who had participated in (and were killed during) the Irish Rebellion of 1798.
However, the song gained widespread popularity and became a favourite of many Irishmen who fought during the United States Civil War and gained even more popularity after World War I. The song is notably associated with organizations that historically had a heavy representation of Irish-Americans, in particular the police and fire departments of New York, Boston and Chicago and those of various other major US metropolitan areas, even after those organizations have ceased to have a substantial over-representation of personnel of Irish ancestry. The melody is frequently played at funerals of members and/or officers of such organizations who have died or been killed in service, typically on bagpipes. Unsurprisingly, given its lyrics, it is also associated with the Irish Army and with traditionally Irish regiments in the British, United States and other armies.
The words to the song The Son of God Goes Forth to War can be set to this melody.
Lyrics
The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death ye will find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" said the warrior bard,
"Tho' all the world betray thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"
.
The Minstrel fell! But the foeman's chain
Could not bring his proud soul under;
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again,
For he tore its chords asunder;
And said "No chains shall sully thee,
Thou soul of love and bravery!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free
They shall never sound in slavery!"
The Joe Strummer version that appears on the Black Hawk Down sound track is a better version in my opinion.
You can find an excellent setting here, for piano, by C.V. Stanford (a fine church musician in his own right, and Irish by birth):
http://www.libraryireland.com/Irish-Melodies/The-minstrel-boy-1.php
“The Son of Man Goes Forth to War” doesn’t really fit, as it is in 86.86 meter (common meter or C.M.), while this is 98.98.87.87 - fairly common in Irish ballads but not usual in hymns.
The FIRST half of this is DIFFERENT from what Amanda sings, but the SECOND half (in bold) is the same, from m.fanfiction.net:
The minstrel boy will return, we pray.
When we hear the news, we will cheer it.
The minstrel boy will return one day,
Torn in body but not in spirit.
Then he may play on his harp in peace
In a world such as God intended.
For the bitterness of man must cease,
And every battle must be ended.
The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death ye will find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" said the warrior bard,
"Tho' all the world betray thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"
.
The Minstrel fell! But the foeman's chain
Could not bring his proud soul under;
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again,
For he tore its chords asunder;
And said "No chains shall sully thee,
Thou soul of love and bravery!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free
They shall never sound in slavery!"
.
That martyr first, whose eagle eye
could pierce beyond the grave;
who saw his Master in the sky,
and called on him to save.
Like him, with pardon on his tongue,
in midst of mortal pain,
he prayed for them that did the wrong:
who follows in his train?
Then he may play on his harp in peace
In a world such asGod[Heaven] intended.
For the bitterness of man must cease,
And every battle must be ended.
.
And every battle must be ended.