And then of course the military got a hold of the song, and over the last sixty years developed versions for the Korean, and Viet Nam Wars.

The former starts out, "Cigareets and Saki and wild, wild Josans" and tells the story of an aviator on leave from the war, looking for relaxation in Japan, and the Viet Nam version merely changes the names of the participants and locations. Josan is GI Japanese slang for a woman, and Saki a rice wine.

CHITOSE BLUES
(Tune- Cigareets and Whiskey)

Once I was happy and had a dear wife
I had enough Yen to last me for life
I met with a Josan and we went on a spree
She started me smoking and drinking Saki

Chorus: Cigareets and Saki and wild, wild Josans
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane
Cigareets and Saki and wild wild Josans
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane

I went to Asmuchi, a bath for to take
I met me a Josan who was on the make
The bath it was hot and the Josan was too
If you go to Asmuchi my boys you are through.

I went to my room, some sleep for to get
She said no sleep flyboy, I no sleepy yet
I woke the next morning at quarter past ten
She says, "Hey Yankee, thats four thousand Yen,"

I'm back in Chitose where we sing and we shout
Me and the Doc are sweating it out
He gave me some pills from a jug on the shelf
Then he poured out a dozen or two for himself.

The tune for the song is here, from an Oscar Brand record.

Dave