WHERE THEY WERE

1 If you want to know where the privates were,
I'll tell you where they were,
I'll tell you where they were,
Yes, I'll tell you where they were;
Oh, if you want to know where the privates were,
I'll tell you where they were:
Up to their necks in mud,
I saw them, I saw them,
Up to their necks in mud, I saw them
Up to their necks in mud.

2 If you want to know where the sergeants were,
I'll tell you where they were,
I'll tell you where they were,
Yes, I'll tell you where they were;
Oh, if you want to know where the sergeants were,
I'll tell you where they were:
Clipping the old barbed-wire,
I saw them, I saw them,
Clipping the old barbed-wire,
I saw them Clipping the old barbed-wire.

3. If you want to know where the captains were,
I'll tell you where they were,
I'll tell you where they were,
Yes, I'll tell you where they were;
Oh, if you want to know where the captains were,
I'll tell you where they were:
Drinking the privates' rum,
I saw them, I saw them,
Drinking the privates' rum, I saw them
Drinking the privates' rum.

4. If you want to know where the officers were,
I'll tell you where they were,
I'll tell you where they were,
Yes, I'll tell you where they were;
Oh, if you want to know where the officers were,
I'll tell you where they were:
Down in their deep dugout,
I saw them, I saw them,
Down in their deep dugout, I saw them
Down in their deep dugout.

5. And if you want to know where the generals were,
I'll tell you where they were,
I'll tell you where they were,
Yes, I'll tell you where they were;
Oh, if you want to know where the generals were,
I'll tell you where they were:
Back in gay Paree,
I saw them, I saw them,
Back in gay Paree, I saw them
Back in gay Paree.

Source: American Songbag (Carl Sandburg, 1927, pages 442-443

Sandburg's notes: This is a little tough on the Brass Hats but they are used to it...The text is from Harold and Verner Johnson of New York City