# Singing sailors in movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 20, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492 "2006-08-20T21:13:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/1 "2006-08-20T21:13:55Z")
So, I have noticed a trend in movies of members of the US Navy (usually pilots) breaking out in song, most often enthusiastically off-key. Examples: [ul] [li]Top Gun (“Lost That Loving Feeling”)[/li][li]Flight of the Intruder (“Downtown”)[/li][li]Down Periscope (“Louie Louie”)[/li][/ul] Any other examples of this happening, or at least notable examples of non-US Navy personel breaking out into song? I think we can exclude musicals from this list. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/2 "2006-08-20T21:33:00Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > I think we can exclude musicals from this list. Well, then, damn, there goes _Follow the Fleet_ and _On the Town_. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/3 "2006-08-20T21:42:26Z")
If you want to include other service branches, there’s **Cadence, Apocalypse Now!** and **Stripes.** ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/4 "2006-08-20T22:23:13Z")
In _Full Metal Jacket_ the drill sergeant makes the recruits sing Happy Birthday Dear Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![Cherry\_Garcia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71c47a/32.png) [@Cherry\_Garcia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cherry_Garcia)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/5 "2006-08-20T23:45:55Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Well, then, damn, there goes _Follow the Fleet_ and _On the Town_. Yeah. As well as **Popeye**. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/6 "2006-08-21T00:13:03Z")
It isn’t the US Navy but _The Hunt for Red October_ has the Russian submarine crew breaking into song. I’m trying to remember if there is singing in _Crimson Tide_… ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/7 "2006-08-21T01:06:59Z")
Kirk Douglas as Ned Land, the singing harpooner in Disney’s _20,000 Leagues Under The Sea!_ ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/8 "2006-08-21T01:18:07Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > In _Full Metal Jacket_ the drill sergeant makes the recruits sing Happy Birthday Dear Jesus. They also sing the theme from “The Mickey Mouse Club” while marching away from a battle during Modine’s Mary Jane Rottencrotch voiceover at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/9 "2006-08-21T02:08:56Z")
_What shall we do with a singing sailor? What shall we do with a singing sailor? What shall we do with a singing sailor? Ear-lie in the morning!_ ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/10 "2006-08-21T02:19:50Z")
Aparently being in outer space brings out the musical talent one might have. Look at all the Star Trek singing that goes on. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/11 "2006-08-21T02:26:27Z")
_Put him in a longboat 'til he’s sober Put him in a longboat 'til he’s sober Put him in a longboat 'til he’s sober Earl-eye in the morning_ ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/12 "2006-08-21T03:57:10Z")
I remember some maritime war flick where the U-Boat commander, knowing the American ship is listening to them, has his crew break out in song to hide their deteriorating morale. Non-military sailors–Spencer Tracy in **Captains Courageous** , with his little organ grinder thingy: “Yay-ho, leetle feesh, don’ cry, don’ cry…” Did Robert Shaw sing in **Jaws** , or just tell filthy limericks? ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/13 "2006-08-21T04:12:13Z")
The sailors sang a song or two in **Master and Commander** ; so did one of the midshipmen, though they didn’t appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/14 "2006-08-21T11:22:04Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > … > > Did Robert Shaw sing in **Jaws** , or just tell filthy limericks? That’s right,all three of them did. And Quint was ex-Navy, at least. ---
**Author:** ![ColonelDax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/15 "2006-08-21T12:18:18Z")
> [@Laughing Lagomorph](#): > > And Quint was ex-Navy, at least. Not just ex-Navy, but [ex-U.S.S. Indianapolis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Indianapolis_%28CA-35%29). It’s been a while since I’ve seen [Paths of Glory](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0050825/), but IIRC, in the final scene the French soldiers start singing along with the German girl who has to sing for them, after initially jeering. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/16 "2006-08-21T13:22:05Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Did Robert Shaw sing in **Jaws** , or just tell filthy limericks? Aside from _Show Me The Way To Go Home_, which he sang with the others, Robert Shaw sang snippets of [_Spanish Ladies_](http://www.holysmoke.org/sd/ladies.htm) (with ‘Boston’ substituted for ‘England’). ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/17 "2006-08-21T14:05:25Z")
> [@ColonelDax](#): > > It’s been a while since I’ve seen [Paths of Glory](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0050825/), but IIRC, in the final scene the French soldiers start singing along with the German girl who has to sing for them, after initially jeering. If anybody cares, the song’s title is “The Faithful Hussar.” I prefer this version to Lois Armstrong’s. Really obscure: Peter Ustinov opens **Billy Bud** with the sailors singing “Hanging Jack,” the eponymous Jack having hanged his entire family for reasons perfectly understandable to sailors of the era. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/18 "2006-08-21T14:27:29Z")
_Pull out the plug and wet 'im all over Pull out the plug and wet 'im all over Pull out the plug and wet 'im all over Earl-eye in the morning_ ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/19 "2006-08-21T19:56:30Z")
One of the many things I love about \*\*Moby Dick \*\* is the authentic-sounding chanteys, sung while the crew of the Pequod is setting sail. Plus, a song in the tavern in an earlier scene (something about “going no more a-roving”). ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492/20 "2006-08-21T20:49:20Z")
> [@ColonelDax](#): > > Not just ex-Navy, but [ex-U.S.S. Indianapolis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Indianapolis_%28CA-35%29). > > It’s been a while since I’ve seen [Paths of Glory](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0050825/), but IIRC, in the final scene the French soldiers start singing along with the German girl who has to sing for them, after initially jeering. Christiane Kubrick, the director’s fiancee (later wife). She’s also a painter, with a kind of happy, upbeat Van Gogh style. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-sailors-in-movies/369492.md?page=2)