When We Danced To An Old Fashioned Tune Johnny McEvoy lyrics

​The chords are the work of Bob Sharpe in the key of C. Thanks Bob. The song is set in the time of the Boer War in South Africa. It's a story of love between a young soldier and a girl who meet at a dance , which is being held in a school hall for the poor people in some great city in the north of England.[ info. from Johnny McEvoy's book My Songs My Stories My Life In Music.]

When we danced to an old fashioned tune 
In a dusty old schoolhouse on Saturday nights 
How we laughed as we waltzed round the room 
You came from the valleys, to the dark city alleys 
To care for the young and the poor 
And me a young soldier with medals galore 
That I'd won in the African War
 
Chorus 
How my heart filled with joy, as the others passed by 
By the look in their eyes I well knew 
That never before, as we swept round the floor 
Had they seen someone lovely as you
Your hair shone like gold, a joy to behold 
Your beauty was known far and wide 
There was many a young lad, who'd lay down his life 
For one moment to be by your side 

But you gave them no glances, you gave them no dances 
As you gracefully stepped on the floor 
With me a young soldier with medals galore 
That I'd won in the African War
When the morning had come, and the dancing all done 
We would walk in the dawn of the day 
I would tell you tall stories, of battles and glories 
And comrades who fell in the fray 
Now the years come and go, still the love that you show 
Is as sweet and as warm as before 
When I a young soldier with medals galore 
That I'd won in the African War

​The Chords, As Played By Bob Sharpe, Key Of C Major.
You're [C] eyes are as bright, as they were the first night 
When we danced to an old fashioned [G] tune 
In a dusty old schoolhouse on Saturday nights 
How we laughed as we waltzed round the [C] room 
You came from the valleys, to the dark city alleys 
To care for the young and the [F] poor 
And me a young soldier with [C] medals galore 
That I'd [G] won in the African [C] War
 .
Chorus 
How my [F] heart filled with joy, as the [C] others passed by 
By the[F] look in their eyes I well [G] knew 
That [F] never before, as we [C] swept round the floor 
Had they [G] seen someone lovely as [C] you