Reveille

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This article is about the bugle call. For other uses, see Reveille (disambiguation)

Reveille (see also pronunciation differences) is most often associated with the military; it is chiefly used to wake military personnel at sunrise. The name comes from the French for "wake up". The tune used in the Commonwealth of Nations is different from the one used in the United States, but they are used in closely analogous ways: to ceremonially start the military day.

In modern times the U.S. military plays (or sounds) "Reveille" at 06:30 (05:30 on Marine Corps bases, 07:30 on Air Force bases). The actual tune is more or less traditional rather than useful in modern times. For example, on most U.S. military bases, the headquarters staff will sound "Reveille" along with a cannon shot as the national flag is raised in the morning. All military personnel upon hearing the music on loudspeakers throughout the base will "face the music", as it were, and render a hand salute.

In the Indian Army, "Reveille" is sounded at 06:00 (or sunrise), and the regimental colours are hoisted. As this also signals the start of the physical training parade, servicemen for practical reasons must awake prior to the sounding of Reveille.

In Commonwealth Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday services, "The Last Post" begins the period of silent reflection, and "Reveille" ends it. The two tunes symbolize sunset and sunrise respectively, and therefore death and resurrection.

Both Commonwealth and United States "Reveilles" can be played with any combination of valves (or all open valves), because they were first played on a bugle, which lacks valves and is played by altering the embouchure.

[edit] Lyrics

Although there are no official lyrics to Reveille, these unofficial lyrics for the Commonwealth "Reveille" have been recently popularized^[1]:

Rev-eil-lee! Rev-eil-lee is sounding
The bugle calls you from your sleep; it is the break of day.
You've got to do your duty or you will get no pay.
Come, wake yourself, rouse yourself out of your sleep
And throw off the blankets and take a good peek at all
The bright signs of the break of day, so get up and do not delay.

Get Up!

Or-der-ly officer is on his round!
And if you're still a-bed he will send you to the guard
And then you'll get a drill and that will be a bitter pill:
So be up when he comes, be up when he comes,
Like a soldier at his post, a soldier at his post, all ser-ene.

and to the US tune:

I can't get 'em up,

I can't get 'em up,

I can't get 'em up this morning;

I can't get 'em up,

I can't get 'em up,

I can't get 'em up at all!

The corporal's worse than the privates,

The sergeant's worse than the corporals,

Lieutenant's worse than the sergeants,

And the captain's worst of all!

< repeat top six lines >

[edit] Music

Both "Reveilles" are composed entirely with notes from a Major triad (i.e. tonic, major third, and dominant). This makes them appropriate for playing on the bugle.

[edit] History

"Reveille" first originated in the Middle Ages as a wake-up call for soldiers. After this song was played, another song called The Rouse would be played, telling the soldiers to get out of bed. This tradition continued over the centuries, and is still serving the same purpose that it did during the Middle Ages. It is now played in many countries for many armies.