Harlots // Following the Drum (Cover)

- - - LYRICS/CHORDS BELOW - - - This is my cover of a song featured in 1x01 of the show “Harlots” (ITV Encore/Hulu). In the episode, it is sung by the character Betsy Fletcher, a young street harlot, played by Alexa Davies. An abbreviated version of the song is also played during the end credits of that episode. According to the soundtrack (that unfortunately only features the heavily stylized and short end credit version), the song is called “Following the Drum” – it seems to be a traditional folk song but it’s very difficult to find any sources for it outside of the show. A version of the lyrics that predates the show can be found here: The author of that collection of songs describes the song as being about “18th Century camp-follower Polly, who loves an Army boy”.