# What's your favorite military song (or cadence)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 16, 2008, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665 "2008-07-16T08:41:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/1 "2008-07-16T08:41:48Z")
I’ve never served myself, but I do like military songs and cadences. I thinks it’s hard to beat the Ranger’s ‘Blood Upon the Risers’ (‘Glory Glory, What a Hellava Way to Die’) Holy shit that songs haunting. Here’s a youtube of it: [Blood Upon the Risers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWgsdexkv18&feature=related) Anybody else have a favorite? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/2 "2008-07-16T08:46:14Z")
Anything but the Infantry March. I am partial to The Thunderer and the Washington Post. I would like to hear Sousa’s Under the Double Eagle. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/3 "2008-07-16T14:22:50Z")
Sung to the tune of The Halls of Montezuma a British Airborne song. We have a nasty reputation for seducing little boys For raping old age pensioners And breaking Crap Hats toys We are the arseholes of the nation We are the cunts you never see We’re a bunch of loud mouthed bastards We are the airborne infantry! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/4 "2008-07-16T14:32:53Z")
I do like _The Halls of Montezuma_. Seems to hearken back to a more spirited, purposeful time. Course I don’t really know many service songs at all. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/5 "2008-07-16T14:33:58Z")
There she was, just a- walkin’ down the street . . . ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/6 "2008-07-16T14:43:50Z")
Does this count? It’s from Girl Scout Camp… Left, left, left right left. Left, left, left right left. I left my wife and forty-six children home in the kitchen with only one hamburger left, left, left right left… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/7 "2008-07-16T17:30:49Z")
Three by Kipling, which I’ve heard set to marchable martial-style music by [[url=[Black and White Party Attire and Hosting Tips](http://quotations.about.com/cs/poemlyrics/a/Boots.htm)]“Boots”](]Leslie Fish:[/url) [“Birds of Prey”](http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/birds-of-prey-march/) [“Rimini”](http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/rimini.html) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/8 "2008-07-16T17:38:24Z")
Sorry, [Leslie Fish.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Fish) ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/9 "2008-07-16T17:51:52Z")
[QUOTE=T\_SQUARE] I’ve never served myself, but I do like military songs and cadences. I thinks it’s hard to beat the Ranger’s ‘Blood Upon the Risers’ (‘Glory Glory, What a Hellava Way to Die’) Holy shit that songs haunting. Here’s a youtube of it: [Blood Upon the Risers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWgsdexkv18&feature=related) Anybody else have a favorite? [/QUOTE] _Blood on the Risers_ was (I shit you not) the first song I ever learned to sing. Why, yes, my father was in the 82nd Airborne. Why do you ask? The 82nd Airborne All-American Choir used to come to my grade school every year and perform a concert. Other than saying “heckuva”, they did _Blood on the Risers_ just as in the YouTube clip cited in the OP – blood splattering and all. In the final verse, as they described the remains of the poor rookie scattered all over the landing zone, various members of the chorus burst into hammy sobs and pantomimed picking up body parts from the ground. And 500 school kids screamed with glee and nearly wet their collective pants from laughing. I loved growing up in the Army. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/10 "2008-07-16T18:02:32Z")
Not quite what you were looking for - but I like the music for “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” (the Navy Hymn). ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/11 "2008-07-16T20:26:58Z")
From a great movie depicting one of the greatest bad ass moments in all military history. [Men of Harlech](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjvKZHJeayg) wasn’t the actual anthem of the 24th Reg of foot at the time of Rorke’s Drift but it was soon after. I can’t get a recording of it, but if the Zulu’s song in response sounded anything like the movie I would have shit my pants as well. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/12 "2008-07-16T20:53:52Z")
[QUOTE=amarinth] Not quite what you were looking for - but I like the music for “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” (the Navy Hymn). [/QUOTE] It will be sung at my funeral. Surely a great military song, but not a cadence or march. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/13 "2008-07-16T21:20:54Z")
A few different ones, for me… •The Minstrel Boy. •I found the lyrics to this one, awhile back, and thought it was rather gruesomely charming. Phantom flyers in the sky, Persian pukes prepare to die, Rolling in with snake and nape, Allah creates but we cremate. North of Tehran, we did go, When the FAC said from bellow, ‘Hit my smoke, and you will find, The Arabs there are in a bind.’ Probably incomplete, and/or out of order. Occasionally, to kill an odd moment of time, I tinker with this one to try and update it. (The best rhyme I could come up with for “glass” was “ash.”) •Any number of Marine Corps running cadences—we had the _Run to Cadence with the U.S. Marines_ tape ever since I was a little kid. I think I probably learned “My Grandaddy was a Horse Marine” before “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” 🆒 •“Pack Up Your Troubles (In Your Old Kit Bag)” Anyone else imagine Snoop—er, the World War I Flying Ace, just for a second, when hearing this one? ---
**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:** [July 16, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/14 "2008-07-16T21:24:09Z")
(Not sure of the OP: cadences/jody calls, marching songs, marches?) Anyway, the highlighted links are to streaming video The **Germans** have so many of them, the vast majority of which are too “oompha-oompha” for my tastes, but I do like : [Unser Rommel](http://youtube.com/watch?v=KOgqU95Eyo4) (nice intro) and [Panzerleid](http://youtube.com/watch?v=8pPc-OmUKow) “has a nice beat and you can invade Poland to it.” The **French** have some peppy tunes, although the Foreign Legion’s are either dirge-like to match their 80-pace a minute march, or are borrowed for Nazi songs [(more on that topic than anyone is interested in knowing)](http://youtube.com/watch?v=giAKxBLY6W4). The **Austrians** gave us one of the most [fun marches,](http://youtube.com/watch?v=J8fzsk9BlYY&feature=related) so much so that we could forget what a nasty empire they ran. The **Russians** [have always been singing, marching fools,](http://youtube.com/watch?v=0pFrEpTpOy4) Some of my favories are [My litle doorstep](http://youtube.com/watch?v=VPKn9qhNKE4&feature=related) (which Stravinski used in the ballet “Petruschka.”) and [“Off We Go”](http://youtube.com/watch?v=PJZiGsI7k3M&feature=related) Further east, let’s not forget that the Persian & **Turks** [invented military music](http://youtube.com/watch?v=PsA-BIuuz8A&feature=related) (Inspiring to march to? Maybe, but not necessarily sideways.) **World War One** was the last great singing war we’re likely to have until World War Four, and many of its best songs were used in the musical & film [Oh What a Lovely War.](http://youtube.com/watch?v=NftXmGP4n-0) But for a short run-thorugh, there was an entire episode of CBS’s 1964 [World War One](http://youtube.com/watch?v=XtsarSga3Sk&feature=related) devoted to them. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/15 "2008-07-16T23:25:49Z")
When I was a kid my grandpa (who was in the Army, in the Korean War) always sang these two songs: 1. “You’re in the Army now! You’re in the Army now!” That’s all I can remember of it. 2. “It’s time to get up, it’s time to get up, it’s time to get up in the morning!” (To the tune of Reveille.) That one annoyed the hell out of me because I hated being woken up in the morning. I would have to say my favorite ones are the ones they sing in _Full Metal Jacket._ ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/16 "2008-07-16T23:38:04Z")
Back in the late 70’s, when my husband was in the Army, there was a cadence song that featured various people from the Bible. I only remember a few phrases: Jesus led a 12 man A-team Noah led a water mission David was a small-arms expert There was a chorus between these phrases of some kind but I don’t remember any more. Does anybody else remember this? ---
**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:** [July 17, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/17 "2008-07-17T04:04:24Z")
I would love to find this old Cold War one. A sergeant in my company was the only one I heard do it. It was a running cadence to the tune of Davy Crokett. I only remember the one line, “We fired our TOWs and the Commies kept a commin.” ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/18 "2008-07-17T04:18:44Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] When I was a kid my grandpa (who was in the Army, in the Korean War) always sang these two songs: 1. “You’re in the Army now! You’re in the Army now!” That’s all I can remember of it. [/QUOTE] You’re not behind a plow! So dig that ditch, you son of a bitch, you’re in the Army now! > [@](#): > > I would love to find this old Cold War one. A sergeant in my company was the only one I heard do it. It was a running cadence to the tune of Davy Crokett. I only remember the one line, “We fired our TOWs and the Commies kept a commin.” That sounds more like Johnny’ Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans”. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/19 "2008-07-17T04:19:22Z")
Do you want running or marching? My best cadence for running is: \*C-130 rolling down the strip 64 Paratroopers, one way trip Mission top secret destination unknown Don’t even care if they ever coming home Stand up, Hook up shuffle to the door Jump right out and you count to four If my main don’t open wide I got a reserve by my side If that one should fail me, too Look out below 'cause I’m coming through Bury me on the Russian front Bury me with a Russian…rifle 😃 \* For marching: [chorus] \*Hail, hail, lock and load The sound of the roters Is loud and cold But I was always redy to go So early in the morning[/chorus] My daddy said I was a fool When I requested Airborne School But I was always ready to go So early in the morning [chorus] They sent me off to eighty duce A band of killers on the loose But I was always redy to go So early in the morning At 3 am I got the call Paratrooper get ready to fall But I was always ready to go So early in the morning\* There is a lot more, but it is too late to type. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665/20 "2008-07-17T04:50:38Z")
Alas, my favorite is [“When Johnny Comes Marching Home,”](http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/johnny.htm) which I learned in 5th grade when we spent half the year learning Songs of the Revolutionary to the Civil War. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-military-song-or-cadence/456665.md?page=2)