# You mean Taps has words? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 17, 2001, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155 "2001-09-17T14:15:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kricket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f14d63/32.png) [@Kricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kricket)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/1 "2001-09-17T14:15:16Z")
One of my co-workers was shocked to hear this! Yes you twit there are words. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/2 "2001-09-17T14:16:51Z")
Well, to be fair to your co-worker, no one ever sings _Taps_. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/3 "2001-09-17T14:20:19Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, to be fair to your co-worker, no one ever sings Taps. Girl Scouts do. Although I never looked beyond the Girl Scout Manual to see if they’re singing the correct lyrics as written, or if it’s a Girl Scout adaptation? - “Day is done, Gone the sun, from the hills, from the (something, something?) All is well, safely rest, God is nigh”\* Help? ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/4 "2001-09-17T14:20:37Z")
Except the Girl Guides and I think the Scouts ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/5 "2001-09-17T14:23:15Z")
**LifeOnWry** it’s _Day is done Gone the sun From the lake, from the hills, from the sky All is well Safely rest God is nigh_ Or there is Day Taps _Thanks and praise For our days 'Neath the sun, 'neath the stars, 'neath the sky As we go This we know God is nigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/6 "2001-09-17T14:23:57Z")
I stand corrected. I was never a Girl Scout and had never heard anyone sing it. I only know there are words because they were in one of my textbooks in Jr. High. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/7 "2001-09-17T14:26:25Z")
I think there’s a variant for military funerals as well with the last lines: _Sleep in peace Soldier brave God is nigh_ It admits to endless adaptations. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/8 "2001-09-17T14:27:05Z")
I only know the words because I have to know the words a Leader. It would be terrible for me not to know them. We sing the night Taps at the end of each meeting and camp is ended with day Taps. ---
**Author:** ![Kricket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f14d63/32.png) [@Kricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kricket)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/9 "2001-09-17T14:29:59Z")
Well, that is one reason I posted in here instead of the pit. It really didn’t piss me off, it just struck me as funny. (funny odd, not funny Ha-Ha) Yeah, I was a girl scout and that is how I knew, but Arden Ranger found it in a text book and may not have known the words but at least knew that there was some form of wording to the music. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/10 "2001-09-17T15:02:04Z")
Reveille has words, too. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/11 "2001-09-17T15:06:06Z")
It **does?** I thought my grandfather made that up. He always sang, “you gotta get up, you gotta get up, you gotta get up in the MOOOOORNING!” I had no idea! :blushes: ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/12 "2001-09-17T15:27:30Z")
I’m not sure that any of the lyrics to these things are “official”…but FWIW…check [here](http://www.vboston.com/VBoston/Content/Poems/armycalls.cfm) ---
**Author:** ![Formerly\_Bandersnatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e36b37/32.png) [@Formerly\_Bandersnatch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Formerly_Bandersnatch)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/13 "2001-09-17T15:47:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by beagledave \* > \*\*I’m not sure that any of the lyrics to these things are “official”…but FWIW…check [here](http://www.vboston.com/VBoston/Content/Poems/armycalls.cfm) \*\* The lyrics to reveille are the same as I remember. However, I remember mess call starting as: Come and get your beans, boys. Come and get your beans. But that’s all I remember. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/14 "2001-09-17T15:48:17Z")
Well I never knew reveille had words… that’s a new one for me! ---
**Author:** ![RalfCoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@RalfCoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RalfCoder)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/15 "2001-09-17T15:53:33Z")
**LifeonWry** , I used to wake up my son Ralf Jr. on school mornings by singing Reveille. (ahem… mimimi…) “You gotta get up, you gotta get up, you gotta get up in the morning! You gotta get up, you gotta get up, you gotta get up right now! Don’t lay awake in bed, you little sleepy head, You gotta get up in the morning, you gotta get up right now!” He’s just starting band in school now, and choosing an instrument. If he gets a trumpet, I’m gonna be in so much trouble… ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/16 "2001-09-17T16:32:17Z")
Here’s the Boy Scout version from what I recall. Keep in mind, I haven’t been in Scouting since '83. > [@](#): > > You’ve got to get up. > You’ve got to get up. > You’ve got to get up this morning. > You’ve got to get up. > You’ve got to get up. > You’ve got to get up today. > Yes, you’ve got to get up. > Yes, you’ve got to get up. > Yes, you’ve got to get up. > You’ve got to get up today. ---
**Author:** ![Oicu812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f475e1/32.png) [@Oicu812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oicu812)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/17 "2001-09-17T18:23:25Z")
Taps Day is done, gone the sun, From the lake, from the hills, from the sky; All is well, safely rest, God is nigh. Fading light, dims the sight, And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright. From afar, drawing nigh, falls the night. Thanks and praise, for our days, 'Neath the sun, 'neath the stars, neath the sky; As we go, this we know, God is nigh. Sun has set, shadows come, Time has fled, Scouts must go to their beds Always true to the promise that they made. ## While the light fades from sight, And the stars gleaming rays softly send, To thy hands we our souls, Lord, commend. O Fighting what since when? ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/18 "2001-09-17T21:53:13Z")
I was in Camp Fire Bluebirds, and we sang _Taps_ at the end of every meeting. (I seem to remember hand motions as well.) That’s the only time I’ve ever heard the words used, though–it doesn’t really surprise me that someone who was not in one of those organizations would not know that there were words. However, the many employers who have not known what “Eagle Scout” means on my husband’s resume–_they_ surprise me. My father used to sing the “You gotta get up, you gotta get up, you gotta get up in the morning!” version of _Reveille_. _I hate that song._ ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/19 "2001-09-17T22:49:57Z")
Reveille: I can’t get em up, I can’t get em up, I can’t get em up in the morning. I can’t get em up, I can’t get em up at all. The corp’ral is worse than the private, The sargent’s is worse than the corp’ral, The lieut’s worse than the sargent, And the captain is worse than them all. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155/20 "2001-09-17T22:53:54Z")
Reveille: I can’t get em up, I can’t get em up, I can’t get em up in the morning. I can’t get em up, I can’t get em up, I can’t get em up at all. The corp’ral is worse than the private, The sargent’s is worse than the corp’ral, The lieut’s worse than the sargent, And the captain is worse than them all. Correct words from “Following The Guidon” By E.B. Custer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-mean-taps-has-words/82155.md?page=2)