Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?

Subject: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: wilbyhillbilly
Date: 06 Feb 09 - 05:54 PM

Just seen Bob Dylan on TV at Newport and he did a sort of half talking song with just strumming which straight away brought up a memory of another similar number not by him, which I used to know and love way back either late fifties or early sixties about a lad going into the army.

Trouble is, age has affected the memory bank and all I can recall is part of a verse which went,

we went up and down and round and round
'til the blood in ma head was beginning to pound
and ma legs were beginning to free at the ends
and I felt like shooting meself....or the sergeant

Part of another verse was about his girl with the line,

she said she'd wait for me till hell froze......sure musta bin a cold winter

I am hoping there are some old fogeys like me out there in Mudland who might be having better luck with their memory banks and can put me out of my misery.

I also (don't) remember a similar one that was out around the same time that was banned over here in UK about a drunken driver who ran his children down, which may or may not have been by the same artiste but I could be getting even more confused now.

Somebody....PLEASE HELP. Thanks,

whb

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 06 Feb 09 - 06:10 PM

Doggone it; I can't remember the song - but I remember the sergeant.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: wilbyhillbilly
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 04:55 AM

lol

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: wilbyhillbilly
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 11:57 AM

I'm getting desperate now!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 12:21 PM

'The Drunk Driver' was by Ferlin Husky (sometimes spelt 'Huskey'). Youb can hear it here - http://bit.ly/uJ5w.

I wish I didn't know that.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: wilbyhillbilly
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 03:50 AM

Thanks Geoff, that is the one.

Now I really NEED the other one, lol.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 07:44 AM

IS 'Talking Army Blues' or something like that ! I was sure I had a set of lyrics , but havent been able to locate them .

Subject: Lyr Add: TALKING ARMY BLUES (Josh McCrae?)
From: Leadfingers
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 09:21 AM

TALKING ARMY BLUES - Possibly Josh McCrae !!
^^
Sittin' with ma guitar playin' the blues
Heard the Postman comin' he was bringin' bad news
Got a letter said better get out of that civilian rut
There's vacant bed awaiting in an Army hut
I'm a man of few words didn't say nothin' much I just fainted.

When a came to I told Mom and Dad
But they didn't take it so very bad
Dad said remember one thing son and you'll get by
Keep your boots polished and yer powder dry
Least that's what my old commander used to say
And he got to be President or something like that

When Ma got down to packin' ma stuff
She said are you sure three pairs of Long Johns is goin' to be enough
I said I thought that ought to do
As I wasn't intendin' wearin' 'em anyhow
Too darned itchy, you have to scratch
Pretty good for polishing boots with though

When I went off to catch ma train
I said goodbye to Mom 'n' Dad 'n' Jane
Jane said she'd wait for me till Hell froze
Sure must have been a cold winter

Got to the station without any harm
There's this fella there with a band on his arm
Said MP on it, didn't talk like no politician though
He said "Hey you, country hick which way you headed Circle B or Oswaldvick"
I said "man I'm just looking for the Army which way did it go"
He said "Oh a funny man, well we've got a way with funny men in the Army"
He was right.

I took a lorry to the camp lined up and marched in
There was a big fat fella with a double-chin
Gave us some double-talk about not steppin' out o' line
And writing letters to your MP 'n' stuff like that
Which I thought was kinda mean of him
But then he was a mean fella called himself an RSM
Never did discover what a Retired School Master
Was doin' in the Army

Well they took me away and they cut off m' hair
And they gave me a convict suit to wear
With a pair of boots sized twenty-two
And stuck needles in me till I was black 'n' blue
Feelin' miserable. Then they decided that I needed exercise

So the Sergeant took me and the rest of the boys
And He showed us one of life's greatest joys, Marchin'
We marched up and down and round and round
Till the blood in m' head was beginnin' to pound
And m' legs was beginnin' to fray at the ends
And I was thinkin' of shootin' m' self, or the Sergeant.

Then I thought I might work m' ticket
But workin' your ticket's a hard thing to do
You can talk to the doctor till yer face is blue
'Cos the MO don't care about hammered toes,
homesickness or any of those
His idea is that you're in the Army it's such a healthy life
Cures of almost anything - even lying
He's another one just like the Sergeant - Mean
I guess they're just a pair of disillusioned idealists.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: Charmion
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 03:37 PM

Fascinating.

Well they took me away and they cut off m' hair
And they gave me a convict suit to wear
With a pair of boots sized twenty-two

Contrast that with the following couplet from "Browned Off", recorded by Ewan MacColl on Bless 'Em All circa 1956:

They put me in a convict suit, they made me cut my hair,
They took my civvy shoes away and gave me another pair ...

I'd love to hear a performance of the later song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 08:29 PM

Charmion - Its a basic Talking Blues Format ! And thanks for the reminder - I havent 'done' Browned Off for FAR too long .

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: GUEST,Scabby Douglas
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 05:10 AM

Talking Army Blues was a hit for Josh McCrae, written by Ewan McVicar (no stranger to Mudcat).

Ewan wrote (with just a hint of irritation) in his book "One Singer, One Song" that "Talking Army Blues" was a hit in the main UK record charts of the time, except *the* one which was eventually chosen as the official chart listing. The result being that "Talking Army Blues" disappeared from the historical record of Top Twenty Hits.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: wilbyhillbilly
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 07:01 AM

Absolutely Fantastic, Thank you all so much, what a wealth of knowledge in Mudcat, it never ceases to amaze me, is there anything ya'll don't know.

whb

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: GUEST,Scabby Douglas
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 07:30 AM

Ah.

I see there's a relatively recent thread here : old thread

In which Ewan makes the following points:

"Well, here's a thing. I wrote this song, Talking Army Blues, in 1959. Josh, my friend, put it on the B side of his Talking Guitar Blues recording, in direct competition with Donegan. When the disc came out, my song was preferred by the reviewers, and Top Rank reversed the sides!
I got a message a few days ago seeking the words, and answered that I did not have a typed out version. The above has a verse, about Long Johns, that I had forgotten writing. A couple of understandable errors, Teribus [a Hawick person, I guess?].

"Hey you, country hick, you headed for Thirkleby or Osbaldwick?"
"hammer toes"

"cure you of anything - even life"
After Josh recorded it I changed the RSM line to be Regional Scout Master.

Wher Josh said 'mean' in the last verse, I say 'a bastard'.
I shall send a link to this discussion to the guy who was seeking the lyric.

Hurrah for Mudcat.
Ewan "

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: GUEST,Trooper
Date: 21 Jan 11 - 12:50 PM

What a joy it was when I finally found Talking Army Blues in MP3 format sung By Josh McCrae at Amazon.   In 1961 we young squaddies lanquishing in north Germany, fed up and far from home, appreciated every line. The sentiments in the song sung with such irony were so near the truth of our own experiences (in my case even the forgetful girlfriend)that it was possible to believe that Josh was one of us.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 50s/60s In The Army Song?
From: Hoblander
Date: 21 Jan 11 - 02:31 PM

If you are interested in National Service (UK) songs of the 1950's then Graeme Miles has a whole set of them, written from first hand experience, as is everything that Graeme's written about. He did his NS in the 50's and not only wrote songs but did some marvellous drawings as well.
You will find the words to The Heath of Luneburg *, Northallerton Town, The Shores of Old Blighty,** The Squaddie's Lullaby* published in Songscapes.
A Conscript's Song, Last Call of the Day, Two Years in the Ranks, Soldiers of the Queen, Playing at War Games are published in the songbook Forgotten Songs Remembered.
Others not published include Sergeant Jack Nackerty, Tommy Joins the Durhams, Bobby Wears The Howards Badge, The Deserter, Where were You Tommy Atkins?
He has also written anti-war songs such as The Eagle and the Dove* and Field of White Stones or Where is Billy Now. The first is in Songscapes the second in FSR.
* Martyn Wyndham- Read recording
**The Wilsons; Teesside Fettlers; Bob Fox & Stu Luckley; Shanghaied on the Willamette recording.
Get in touch if you need any more info
Kevin