This tune dates back to the Civil War, and the title refers to pain-killing drugs administered to soldiers who lay dying on the battlefield. The basic version of the tune is frequently heard at old time jams, and the solo break is heard commonly at bluegrass jams.
Hint: if you are playing the solo break, you will it find much easier to play faster if you try this trick. In the first full measure, the second, fourth, sixth and last notes are all played on the fourth fret of the "D" string. This passage repeats several times. Keep your middle finger as close to the string as possible when you are playing it - that will allow you to improve your speed.
These are the audio files for Soldier's Joy - Basic Melody
These are the audio files for Soldier's Joy - Solo Break
These are the audio files for Soldier's Joy - Chords