# Military cadence lyrics. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 28, 2013, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-cadence-lyrics/674975 "2013-11-28T01:05:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-cadence-lyrics/674975/21 "2013-12-02T05:04:18Z")
> [@Joe\_King](#): > > We had: > I don’t know > But I been told > A witches tittiy is mighty cold Our version was I don’t know but I believe I’ll be home by Christmas Eve I don’t know but I’ve been told Eskimo pussy’s mighty cold and If I die in a combat zone, box me up and send me home If I die on the Russian front bury me with a Russian cunt. For good a WW II vintage (and PG) Jody call, check out the movie Battleground You had a good home but you left / You’re right You had a good home but you left / You’re right Jody was there when you left / You’re right Your baby was there when you left / You’re right Sound off! / 1,2 Sound off! / 3,4 Cadence count! / 1,2,3,4,1,2…3,4! They signed you up for the length of the war / ``` I've never had it so good before ``` The best you’ll get in a biv-ou-ac / ``` Is a whiff of cologne from a passing WAC ``` Sound off! / 1,2 Sound off! / 3,4 Cadence count! / 1,2,3,4,1,2…3,4! It goes on some more to You ain’t got nothin’ to worry about / ``` He'll keep her happy until I get out ``` An’ you won’t get home til the end of the war / ``` In nineteen hundred and seventy four ``` My Dad was in the CBI and swears that they really did use 1964 and 1974 as the ending year of the war in that call from like 1943 on or so. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-cadence-lyrics/674975/22 "2013-12-02T12:46:54Z")
Those who are interested in the topic should note that there are two types of cadences, running and marching. The two activities obviously require different paces. Also the Army and the Marines have a much different way of saying cadence. The Marines pride themselves in being incomprehensible. ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-cadence-lyrics/674975/23 "2013-12-02T19:39:46Z")
Army here. Most NCOs all used the same ones. So boring. I was everyone’s favorite because I’d use things like CCR’s “Proud Mary” for running. Once, marching at some ungodly early hour, a guy did Sabbath’s “War Pigs”. It made my day. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-cadence-lyrics/674975/24 "2013-12-02T19:46:54Z")
From Navy OCS, we had Marine Drill Instructors. Ours was Staff Sergeant Williams. Here is one of his favorites: \*\* \*Jesse James said before he died, Four things that I always wanted to ride, bicycle, tricycle, automobile, and the Gunnery Sergeant’s wife when he’s in the field.\*\*\* A favorite of many of the Officer Candidates was Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” in cadence form (yes, I know it rhymes “masses” with “masses”): \*\*\*Generals gathered in their masses, Just like witches in black masses, Evil minds that plot destruction, Sorceror of death’s construction, In the fields the bodies burning As the war machine keeps turning, Death and hatred to mankind, Poisoning their brainwashed minds\*\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-cadence-lyrics/674975/25 "2013-12-03T19:39:16Z")
Everywhere we go People want to know Who we are And so we tell them We’re not the Army The back-packing Army We’re not the Air Force The low-flying Air Force We’re not the Marines They don’t even look mean We’re not the Coast Guard They don’t even work hard We are the Navy The world’s finest Navy Am I right or wrong? (Right!) Am I weak or strong? (Strong!) Sound off (1-2) Sound off (3-4) Break it on down 1-2-3-4, 1-2, 3-4! Ooh, Ahh! Zero Zero Four! \<-- Last couple of lines change to match your class number ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-cadence-lyrics/674975/26 "2013-12-03T20:36:56Z")
Now we sing dis stupid song Sing it as we march along We don’t sing this very well We can’t make the words rhyme properly ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-cadence-lyrics/674975/27 "2013-12-03T22:30:56Z")
Whoa Black Betty, cram ram ram Whoa Black Betty, cram ram ram! I guess nowadays it’s regarded as a song about a prostitute but I heard that in the 18th Century it was a song soldiers sang about a gun called Black Betty. > **[Black Betty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Betty)** > > "Black Betty" (Roud 11668) is a 20th-century African-American work song often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material. > There are numerous recorded versions, including a cappella and folk. The song was eventually, with modified lyrics, remade as a rock song by the American band Ram Jam in 1977. Subsequent recordings, including hits by Tom Jones a... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-cadence-lyrics/674975.md?page=1)