Robert Rodriquez learned it this way from Jon Pickow:

OLD KING COLE

Old King Cole was a merry old soul, and a merry old soul was Old King Cole
He called for his wife in the middle of the night, and he called for his privates three,

Beer, beer, beer said the privates
Merry merry men are we
There’s none so fair that can compare with the Q.O.R. of C (or Fighting Infantry)

Hut, two, hut two, hut, said the corporals

Get the hell in line, said the sergeants

We do all the work, said the shavetails (lefties)

Hold my horse by the head, said the captains

We want a ten-day pass, said the majors

Where’s my next command, said the colonels

This army’s gone to hell, said the generals

Beer, beer, beer, said the generals…. Colonels, majors, captains, lefties, sergeants, corporals

(from Jon Pickow through Robert Rodriquez)


I pointed out to Robert that majors issue passes, and don't have to request them. And that passes are usually 3 days, not ten.

Here's a recording by Harry Belafonte: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiSGTvXIDCI