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Reconstructed Rebel Soldier Lyrics by Harry McClintock

Haywire Mac

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"Sam, did I ever tell you the story about my Uncle Jim and the song that I got a big reward for singing, that he taught me?"
"No, you didn't"
"Alright, let’s hear it"
"Well, I got the big reward. It was a, uh, good fashion. See, my father was uh, rather religious. In fact, he was very religious. Well, Uncle Jim was a.. he was an Ohio boy that ran away from home, uh, before the Civil War. The outbreak of the Civil War found him in New Orleans, and he enlisted in the Confederate Army. In 1863, he was captured, and, sentenced to, uh prison on Johnson island in Lake Erie. And at that time, the, uh Federal Government went through the prisoners war camps in the north, and they offered all these old rebels a chance to, uh, get out of the prison if they would take the Oath of Allegiance and join the United States Regular Army and go out on the Western Plains to fight the Indians. Under the solemn promise that they wouldn't be used to fight against the South. So Uncle Jim was one of those, and, uh, picked all them galvanized Yankees. So, Uncle Jim came to Knoxville, Tennessee. That was the hometown, well, our hometown, for a blue and a gray reunion. In, uh, 1895. And I was a little [?] then. Uncle Jim taught me to sing this song, and uh, my father gave me a fine wailing for singing it."
I'm a rambler and a gambler on a long way from home
And the folks that don’t like me can leave me alone
I eat when I'm hungry, I drink when I'm dry
And if whiskey don't kill me, I'll live 'til I die
I'm an old rebel soldier, that's just what I am
For your great constitution, I don’t give a damn
I fit in the army with Robert E. Lee
And all you damn Yankees can’t reconstruct me
I'm an old rebel soldier, I fit in the war
Killed a smart chance of yankees, I wished I killed more
[Laughing]
"That’s a fine song, I think I've heard that called 'The Reconstructed Rebel'"
"’The Reconstructed Rebel?'"
"Yeah"
Credits
Harry McClintock

Harry McClintock

About “Reconstructed Rebel Soldier” by Harry McClintock

Read the complete lyrics to "Reconstructed Rebel Soldier" by Harry McClintock from the album "Haywire Mac". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Country.

"Reconstructed Rebel Soldier" is performed by Harry McClintock. from the album "Haywire Mac" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Reconstructed Rebel Soldier", explore more songs by Harry McClintock using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Reconstructed Rebel Soldier" is credited to Harry McClintock. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Reconstructed Rebel Soldier" appears on "Haywire Mac".

Visit the Harry McClintock artist page at /artist/harry-mcclintock for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.