SUSSEX BY THE SEA lyrics.

SUSSEX BY THE SEA is the county's unofficial anthem. It was written in 1907 by William Ward-Higgs, the full lyrics are shown below.

The county's motto, "We wun't be druv", reflects the strong-willed nature of its people in past centuries. Sussex's device shows six martlets. Sussex's county flower is the round-headed rampion, also known as the Pride of Sussex. the feast day of the county's patron saint St Richard, has been declared Sussex Day by West Sussex County CouncIl

 

Now is the time for marching
Now let your hearts be gay
Hark to the merry bugles
Sounding along our way
So let your voices ring, my boys,
And take the time from me
And I'll sing you a song, as we march along,
Of Sussex by the Sea.

For we're the men from Sussex
Sussex by the sea,
We plough and sow and reap and mow,
And useful men we are we:
And when you go from Sussex,
Whoever you may be,
You tell them all that we stand or fall
For Sussex by the sea.

Oh, Sussex, Sussex by the sea
Good old Sussex by the Sea
You may tell them all that we stand or fall
For Sussex by the sea.

Light is the love of a soldier
That's what the ladies say
Lightly he goes a-wooing
Lightly he rides away,
In love and war, we always are
As fair as fair can be,
And a soldier boy is the ladies joy
In Sussex by the sea.

Oh, Sussex, Sussex by the sea
Good old Sussex by the Sea
You may tell them all that we stand or fall
For Sussex by the sea.

Far o'er the seas we wander
Wide through the world we roam,
Far from the kind hearts yonder
Far from our dear old home,
But never shall we forget my boys
And true we'll ever be
To the girls so kind that we left behind
In Sussex by the sea.

Oh, Sussex, Sussex by the sea
Good old Sussex by the Sea
You may tell them all that we stand or fall
For Sussex by the sea.

 

Below are some lyric variations adapted by local organisations.

Sussex County Cricket Club
In 1957, Joe Haddon wrote a two verse version dedicated to Sussex cricket.

Now is the time for playing
Now let your hearts be gay
List what your captain is saying
While off the field of play
So put your best leg forward, my lads
And time each ball you see
If you sing the old song
Well you can’t go wrong
Of Sussex By The Sea

Chorus:

Good Old Sussex by the Sea, Good Old Sussex By the Sea
You can tell them all that we stand or fall
For Sussex by the Sea.

Good Old Sussex By the Sea
Their cricket is a pleasure to see
They will give you a show
For they don’t play slow
And useful men are they
So when you go to Sussex
Six Martlets men to see
They will delight you all
With the bat and the ball
In the County Ground by the Sea.

Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. & Sussex County Cricket Club
The song has also become attached to Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. and Sussex County Cricket Club. It is the club's official song, but with a changed chorus.

Good old Sussex by the sea, Good old Sussex by the sea
And we're going up to win the cup
For Sussex by the sea.

Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital uses the tune as its school march.

A simplified version is mainly used- Good old Sussex by the sea Good old Sussex by the sea And we're going up To win the cup For Sussex, by the sea.. (repeat)

You can find sheet music & chords for the tune HERE