The Army Goes Rolling Along

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"The Army Goes Rolling Along" is the official song of the U.S. Army[1] and is typically called "The Army Song."

Contents

[edit] The Caisson Song

The song is based on the "Caisson Song" written by field artillery First Lieutenant (later Brigadier General) Edmund L. Gruber, Lieutenant William Bryden, and Lieutenant (later Major General) Robert Danford while stationed at Fort Stotsenburg in the Philippines in March 1908.[2] The tune quickly became popular in field artillery units. In 1917 the Secretary of the Navy and Army Lieutenant George Friedlander of the 306th Field Artillery asked John Philip Sousa to create a march using the "Caisson Song." Sousa changed the key, harmony, and rhythm and renamed it "U.S. Field Artillery."[3] The recording sold 750,000 copies.[4] Sousa did not know who had written the song and had been told that it dated back to the Civil War. Upon learning of the true composer, he gave the royalties to Gruber.[5] “The Caisson Song” was never designated as the official Army song likely because the lyrics were too closely identified with the field artillery and not the entire Army.

[edit] Search for an Official Song

As the Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard had already adopted official songs, the Army was anxious to find a song of its own. In 1948, the Army conducted a contest to find an official song, but no entry received much popular support. In 1952, Secretary of the Army Frank Pace asked the music industry to submit songs and received over 800 submissions. “The Army’s Always There” by Sam Stept won the contest,[6] and an Army band performed it at President Eisenhower’s inaugural parade on January 20, 1953. However, many thought that the tune was too similar to "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts," so the Army decided to keep the tune from the "Caisson Song" but with new lyrics. A submission by Harold W. Arberg, a music advisor to the Adjutant General, was accepted.[7] Secretary of the Army Wilber Marion Brucker dedicated the song on Veterans Day, November 11, 1956.[8] The song is played at the conclusion of most U.S. Army ceremonies, and all soldiers are expected to stand and sing. When more than one service song is played, they are played in the order in which the service was established: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.[1]

[edit] Caisson Song version[2]

Over hill over dale we have hit the dusty trail
As our caissons go rolling along.
Countermarch and right about,
And our caissons go rolling along.
For it’s hi-hi-hee
In the Field Artillery,
Call off your numbers loud and strong. 2,3,4,1,2,3
And Where're we go you will always know that those caissons are rolling along.


[edit] U.S. Field Artillery version[4]

Verse:

Over hill, over dale
We have hit the dusty trail,
And the Caissons go rolling along.
In and out, hear them shout,
Counter march and right about,
And the Caissons go rolling along.

Refrain:

For it's hi! hi! hee!
In the field artillery,
Shout out your numbers loud and strong,
And where e'er you go,
You will always know
That the Caissons go rolling along.

Verse:

In the storm, in the night,
Action left or action right
See those Caissons go rolling along
Limber front, limber rear,
Prepare to mount your cannoneer
And those Caissons go rolling along.
(Refrain)

Verse:

Was it high, was it low,
Where the hell did that one go?
As those Caissons go rolling along
Was it left, was it right,
Now we won't get home tonight
And those Caissons go rolling along.
(Refrain)

[edit] The Army Goes Rolling Along[9]

typically only the first verse and refrain are sung (not including the intro)

Intro:

March along, sing our song, with the Army of the free
Count the brave, count the true, who have fought to victory
We’re the Army and proud of our name
We’re the Army and proudly proclaim

Verse:

First to fight for the right,
And to build the Nation’s might,
And The Army Goes Rolling Along
Proud of all we have done,
Fighting till the battle’s won,
And the Army Goes Rolling Along.

Refrain:

Then it’s Hi! Hi! Hey!
The Army’s on its way.
Count off the cadence loud and strong *
For where e’er we go,
You will always know
That The Army Goes Rolling Along.
* "Two! Three!" is typically sung here but is not an official part of the song

Verse:

Valley Forge, Custer’s ranks,
San Juan Hill and Patton’s tanks,
And the Army went rolling along
Minute men, from the start,
Always fighting from the heart,
And the Army keeps rolling along.
(Refrain)

Verse:

Men in rags, men who froze,
Still that Army met its foes,
And the Army went rolling along.
Faith in God, then we’re right,
And we’ll fight with all our might,
As the Army keeps rolling along.
(Refrain)

[edit] References in popular culture

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Army Regulation 220-90, Army Bands, 27 November 2000, para 2-5f
  2. ^ a b Field Artillery, November-December 2002, background and original lyrics
  3. ^ Marshall's Civic Band
  4. ^ a b Fort Bragg article
  5. ^ a b Wigginton, F. Peter, Soldiers magazine, July 1994, p. 45
  6. ^ Time magazine, January 19, 1953
  7. ^ Dorr, Robert, Westchester Chordsmen, December 2004, p. 4
  8. ^ Army Field Manual 3-21.5, Drill and Ceremonies, 12 April 2006, para. 1-2h
  9. ^ U.S. Army Bands information and recordings
  10. ^ Internet Movie Database, entry for Gruber
  11. ^ North Carolina State University. Retrieved on February 22, 2007.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


Patriotic music of the United States Flag of the United States

"America the Beautiful" • "Ballad of the Green Berets" • "Battle Cry of Freedom" • "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" • "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean" • "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" • "For The Dear Old Flag, I Die" • "God Bless America" • "God Bless the USA" • "Hail, Columbia" • "Hail to the Chief" • "The Liberty Bell" • "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" • "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" • "Over There" • "PT-109" • "Stars and Stripes Forever" • "The Star-Spangled Banner" • "There's a Star Spangled Banner Waving" • "This is My Country" • "This Land Is Your Land" • "Yankee Doodle" • "The Yankee Doodle Boy" • "You're a Grand Old Flag" • "Fifty Nifty United States" • "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"

Armed services: "The Army Goes Rolling Along" • "Anchors Aweigh" • "The U.S. Air Force" • "Marines' hymn" • "Semper Paratus"
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