The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-09-17
SOLDIERS MUST SING


army makes certain that he does
This part of his curriculum is a
vital, the brass hats think, as hi
drills, his hikes, and his bayone
practice.
1t doesn't seem to matter VIVA
the soldier sings-ribald and rol
licking tunes, vibrating rallyini
chorus, pace-measuring march
or sentimental stuff-so long a
he gets the habit. It is the sol
dier's escape valve, his emotiona
outlet. Let him complain, tn
army figures, so long as he sings
To encourage the singing habit
the army has put out new sol
dier's song book-67 favorite!
compiled by the Adjutant Gener'
ais office in collaboration with
the Library of Congress and pub
lished by order of the Secretary
of War.
Results Of Poll
The morale division lets the
soldier choose the songs. Ballots
listing 10 numbers were distrib-
uted in regular army camps. The
men checked their favorites IN
the list and wrote in votes for
songs not included on the official
ballot.
The result was about what the
War Department expected. 1.-THE
Star Spangled Banner" led the
list. Next, among the first ten,
came "America," God Bless A
merica," Home on the Range" "
It Am an American ''My Bud
dy," "The Caisson Song "The
Last Round Up" "You're in the
Army Now and Garry Me Back
to Ole Virginny."
But this song poll was taken
quite some time ago. If such a
vote were taken at the present,
the chances are that the follow
ing songs would get tremendous
amount of votes: ''Blues in the
! Night" "You Are Always In My
Heart 1.-THE Three Little Sisters, "
IT Came Here To Talk For Joe, "
"He Wears A Pair Of Silver
Wings" Little Bo Peep Has Lost
Her Jeep." "A Soldier Had A
Dream" Johnny Doughboy
Found A Rose In Ireland, ""Waltz-
ing Matilda" 'The White Cliffs
of Dover and "Tve Got Spurs
that Jingle Jangle Jingle"
Prefers Parody
The American soldier seems to
prefer the humorous song to the
hate theme. Soldier songs seem
to hang on from one war to a.
mother, sometimes for centuries.
yankee Doodle" and "The Old
Grey Mare" keep turning up
Sometimes the original lyrics are
used, but more often the soldier
prefers some parody that reflects
his contemporary scenes and E.
vents. 4
The good soldier, experience
shows, sings everywhere. He
sings on the march, picking up
the quick tunes that urge his tir-
ed limbs along. He sings harder
in the rain than he does in dry
weather. He sings in the compa-
ny day room on rainy nights
sings in his tent when he rolls in
with a bundle. He sings about
the company mess, he sings about
the pay being late, he sings a.
bout the gal he left and about the
gal he is going to see. He sings
his hate for the bugler, sets tc
music all the little irritations that
bob up to bother him. Most of the
time the words to these laments
would shock the Ladies Aid
Society.
This, you see, is because the
good soldier is a grumbler. It's
a tradition. It would be a grave
matter, though, if he merely SIM
mered inside about his troubles
and grievances and did not set
them to music. Commanders un-
derstand this and, according to
tradition, will accept all manner
of insult from the man in the
ranks. Up to a certain point, OF
course.
Each branch Of the service puts
into song its contempt for the
other. The infantry kids the en-
gineers, the artillery sneers al
the foot soldier and the cavalry
looks down on both. The hard
est hit by this class sectionalisn
are the M, P.'s and the Quarter
masters.
Every soldier sings of home
and of his. women-of his wife
his sisters, his sweetheart, hi:
mother, even the camp followers
He'll 60 on singing, too. But