Reportedly sung in 1940 by members of U.S. Amy Air Corps Flying School Class of Forty-A. (Spelling, line divisions, etc., sic.

https://archive.org/details/1985souvenirsongbookgetzcollectionno-105/page/n1/mode/2up?q=%22pretzels+in+my+whiskers%22
   
               OH - NOW I AM a KAYDET
          Tune - Throw a Nickel on the Drum

I WAS LYING IN THE GUTTER,
ALL COVERED UP WITH BEER.
WITH PRETZELS IN MY WHISKERS,
I KNEW MY END WAS NEAR.
THEN CAME THE GLORIOUS ARMY AND SAVED ME FROM THE HEARSE.
NOW EVERYBODY STRAIN A GUT
AND SING ANOTHER VERSE.

CHORUS

SING HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH THROW A NICKEL ON THE DRUM,
TAKE A QUARTER ON THE RUN.
SING HALLELUJAH, HALELUJAH
THROW A NICKEL ON THE DRUM AND YOU'LL BE SAVED.

OH IT'S G- L - O - R - Y
I AM S-A-V-E-D
H-A-P-P-Y
TO BE F - R - DOUBLE - E
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y
FROM THE WAYS OF S - I - N
GLORY, GLORY HALLELUJAH TRA-LA-LA AMEN.

NEW CHORUS

SING HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH THROW A NICKEL ON THE STUMP, JUST TO SAVE A KAY-DETS RUMP. SING HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH THROW A NICKEL ON THE STUMP, AND YOU'LL BE SAVED.

FOR NOW I AM A KAYDET A-LEARNIN* HOW 10 FLY.

MY GLORIOUS SALVATION SHALL LIFT ME TO THE SKY.

THE ARMY IS MY SAVIOUR FROM THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW WAY, THEY PAY ME SEVENTY-FIVE A MONTH AND TAKE IT ALL AWAY.

ANOTHER NEW CHORUS

SING HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH
THROW A NICKEL ON THE GRASS
JUST TO SAVE A PILOT'S ( — -)
SING HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH
THROW A NICKEL ON THE GRASS AND YOU - LL - BE - SAVED.

NEW CHORUS

SING HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH THROW A NICKEL ON THE STUMP,
JUST TO SAVE A KAY-DETS RUMP.
SING HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH THROW A NICKEL ON THE STUMP,
AND YOU'LL BE SAVED.

FOR NOW I AM A KAYDET A-LEARNIN' HOW TO FLY.
MY GLORIOUS SALVATION SHALL LIFT ME TO THE SKY.
THE ARMY IS MY SAVIOUR FROM THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW WAY,
THEY PAY ME SEVENTY-FIVE A MONTH AND TAKE IT ALL AWAY.

ANOTHER NEW CHORUS

SING HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH
THROW A NICKEL ON THE GRASS JUST TO SAVE A PILOT'S ( — -)
SING HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH
THROW A NICKEL ON THE GRASS AND YOU - LL - BE - SAVED.

O(ther versions have the more common "bust a gut.")


William Wallrich collected this version in the Army Air Forces during World War I:

                FIGHTER PILOT'S HYMN

Laying in the gutter,
Covered al over with beer,
Pretzels in my whiskers,
I thought the end was near.
When along came the Air Force
And saved me from the hearse.
Now everybody get a drink
And sing another verse.

Chorus:

Sing hallelujah! Sing hallelujah!
Throw a nickel on the grass,
Save a fighter pilot's brass. [sic
Sing hallelujah! Sing hallelujah!
Throw a nickel on the grass,
And you'll be saved.

I was rolling down the runway,
Headed for a ditch,
I looked down at the quadrant,
My God, I'm in high pitch.
I shoved the throttle forward,
And nosed into the air --
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
How did I get there?

Chorus.

I flew my traffic pattern,
I thought I flew it right,
I turned onto the final --
My God, I racked it tight.
The ship began to shudder,
The engine began to wheeze,
Major ________! Major______! Major____!
Spin instructions please!

Wallrich ("Air Force Airs," 1957) also includes a text almost the same as the Navy "village belle" version above.

Air Force versions elaborating on Wallrich's flying stanzas while dropping the pretzels stanza began appearing during the Korean War, all with the "nickel on the grass" chorus.