Military Jodies?

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Amos
Date: 12 Jan 02 - 12:13 PM

Drunk last night,
Drunk the night before
Gonna get drunk tonight,
Like I never been drunk before!
'Cuz when I'm drunk, I'm as happy as can be
For I beeeeelong to the [unit name here] Infantry!

OOHHHH,

Glorious! Glorious!
One keg o'beer for the four of us!
Praise be to Gawd there's no more of us,
'Cuz one of us could drink it all alone....

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Joe_F
Date: 12 Jan 02 - 09:31 PM

I have no military experience, but my impression from casual reading is that "Jody" is short for "Jody Grinder", a corruption of "Joe the Grinder", a nickname for the man who is carrying on with your woman while you are in the army (or prison).

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: toadfrog
Date: 12 Jan 02 - 11:26 PM

That is the concept, all right. But how do you know that "Jody Grinder" is older? There is also a "Jody" prison song; see "Wake up Dead Man," which was Rounder Record 2013 (1965) and doubtless is now a CD.

By the way, a first-rate disk, the best. I saw a film made in the same location, same songs, at the 1970 World Folk Festival. I believe it was introduced by Pete Seeger in person, although memory may be playing tricks on me.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Hrothgar
Date: 13 Jan 02 - 05:45 AM

Chicken Charlie

Extra verse for "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon"

Behind the door her father keeps a shotgun
He keeps it in the springtime and in the month of May
And if you ask her why the hell he keeps it
He keeos it for a (fill in your choice) who is far, far, away!

And something I learned in the Boy Scouts:

I had a good job for twenty-five bob
I kicked the manager in the gob
And I LEFT! I LEFT! I LEFT! RIGHT! LEFT!

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Jan 02 - 07:17 AM

Interesting thread! I went to Army basic at Fort Ord in the mid 50's ... that's 1950's folks ... NOT 1850's (I was still fighting the civil war in the 1850's). As another poster mentioned, a strong voice was needed for Jodys. It wasn't long before the drill sargents thought I could be heard from the rear ranks in those long, long marches. After a little practice, I thought, "Hey this is neat! My own chain gang." Before long I was became populiar for my wise and witty words. Also, before long, I got more clever than smart! Gawd I hate to peel potatoes even today!. Bob

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 13 Jan 02 - 12:22 PM

Amos, your Drink Last Night was sung by Brit troops in WW1 as a song. Other verses,

Gassed last night and gassed the night before,
Gonna be gassed tonight if we never get gassed no more,
And when we're gassed, we're sick as we can be,
Cos phosgene and mustard gas is much too much for me.
They're warning us they're warning us,
One respirator for the four of us,
Thank your lucky stars that 3 of us can run,
Bombed last night and bombed the night before,
Gonna be bombed tonight if we never get bombed no more,
They're over us they're over us,
One shell hole for just the 4 of us,
thank your lucky stars there are nomore of us,
Cos one of us could fill it on his own.

Sound off,

Keith.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Joe_F
Date: 13 Jan 02 - 07:53 PM

I don't know that the longer forms are older; it's merely a plausible guess on my part. I did see the phrase "'Joe the Grinder' stories" in a booklet (for conscientious objectors) on how to do time in prison, ca. 1953.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,Muskrat
Date: 13 Jan 02 - 08:33 PM

Johnny Taylor, a popular rhythm and blues singer, had a string of "Jody" songs (not using the cadence count formula, but clearly the same woman-stealing protagonist) in the '60s-'70s: "Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone" and "Standing in for Jody" were the hits, but there were others.

Subject: RE: jodies/cadences
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Dec 02 - 10:54 PM

The US Army is now using cadences as part of its recruiting propaganda.

Go to Basic Training: Week 03 and then click on CADENCE JUKEBOX in the lower right corner.

The "jukebox" popped up while I was looking at some other music website; I think it was Artist Direct.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 03 - 06:40 PM

I HAVE ONE THAT WAS MADE UP TWO SUMMERS AGO BY ONE OF MY FRIENDS


COKE CADENCE COKE CADENCE COKE CADENCE COKE

-C-
IN A BOTTLE
-O-
IN A CAN
-K-
WISH I HAD ONE
-E-
IN MY HAND

-C-O-K-E- -C-O-K-E- A COKE A COKE AN ICY COLD COKE *TSS AHHH*
(YOU HAVE TO PRETEND TO POP OFF THE LID AND DRINK AT THE END OF IT)

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 02:35 AM

I found these lyrics here and verified them with the recording.


Sound Off (Duckworth Chant)
traditional - version by Vaughn Monroe, 1951

Hib-hub, hib-hub, hib-hub, hib-hub

The heads are up
The chests are out
The arms are swinging
In cadence count
Sound off (sound off)
Sound off (sound off)
Cadence count
1-2-3-4 (1-2, 3-4)

Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe
Let's go back and count some more
Sound off (sound off)
Sound off (sound off)
Cadence count
1-2-3-4 (1-2, 3-4)

I had a good home, but I left (you're right)
I had a good home, but I left (you're right)
Jody was there, when I left (you're right)
Jody was there, when I left (you're right)
Sound off (1-2)
Sound off (3-4)
Cadence count
1-2-3-4 (1-2, 3-4)

I left gal away out west
I thought this army life was best
Now she's someone else's wife
And I'll be marchin' the rest of my life
Sound off (1-2)
Sound off (3-4)
1-2, 3-4
2, (2-3-4)
1-2-3-4, (1-2, 3-4)

The captain rides in a jeep
The seargent rides in a truck
The general rides in a limousine
But we're just out of luck
Sound off
Sound off
Cadence count
1-2-3-4 (1-2, 3-4)

Hib-hub, hib-hub, hib-hub, hib-hub
The heads are up
The chests are out
The arms are swinging
In cadence count
Sound off (sound off)
Sound off (sound off)
Cadence count
1-2-3-4 (1-2, 3-4)

Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe
And let's go back and count some more
Sound off
Sound off
Cadence count
1-2-3-4 (1-2, 3-4)

(1-2, 3-4)
(1-2, 3-4)
(1-2, 3-4)
Company halt
(1-2, 3-4)

---

I don't know if it's accurate or not, but this (click) is an interesting version and explanation.
Also take a look at The Cadence Page.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 03:19 AM

Re: Latin marching songs, post from Tim Jaques.

These songs were sometimes recorded by Roman historians in their reports of triumphs, in former times a religious ceremony celebrating a victory. The imperator (supreme commander) was dressed and painted [sic!] red, drove on a cart to the Temple of Jupiter, followed by carts full of trophies, and behind marched his army singing bawdy songs about their commander.

The song for C. Julius Caesar runs:

Caius Caesar nunc triumphat,
qui subegit Galliam.
Nicomedes non triumphat
qui subegit Caesarem.

Cesar now has his triumph
for subjecting Gaul.
Nicomedes hasn't,
although he had Cesar under him. [Free translation]

(Nicomedes was king of Bithynia, and to the glee of Rome Cesar fulfilled his duties as a special envoy sometimes in bed with Nicomedes.)
Change the Russian tune "Stenka Razin" from 3/4 to 4/4, and you have a fitting tune.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,H.B. Carlisle
Date: 26 Oct 04 - 08:52 PM

I was in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and remember some Jodies
not used for marching....for instance, the troops are out for reveille
formation....

"Report!"
"Sir! One man in the latrine, two in the canteen, and one a them
guys I ain't NEVER seen!'

At one time the Commanding General at Fort Chaffee outlawed Jodie marching, because of obscene lyrics.

In the 1960s the US Air Force had a Jodie Drill Team. I went to see them. They had a big black sergeant who sang out the commands in great Rhythm and Blues style.....

.....Hey, everybody! Tell me how do you do?
    Hey everybody! Tell me how do you do?
    Well, the Jodie Drill Team is here to welcome you!

I remember they put on a great show. The footwork was something to see. Only the Air Force had such a unit.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,a friend
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 11:49 AM

Mamma Mamma cant you see
(repeat)
what the army's done to me
(repeat)
took away my good of man
(repeat)
and now i sleep with uncle sam
(repeat)
woooooooah woah woah
wooooooooooooah woah woah
count cadence count.
cant remember the secon verse sorry!

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,Chris
Date: 30 Nov 04 - 06:46 PM

Where can i get pictures of the Jody Drill Team?

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 01:51 PM

Hey if anybody can find a funnier version of "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" please e-mail it to me. [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Lighter
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 03:13 PM

Jody calls appeared in a WWII movie for the first time in "Battleground" (1949), set in Dec. 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. A ridiculously young James Whitmore is the leader. (Not a bad film for its day.)

Solo: Hut hup areep hor! Hut hup areep hor!
      

        Solo: They signed you up for the length of the war!
        Cho:   I never had it so good before!
        Solo: The best you'll get in a bivouac
        Cho:   Is a whiff of cologne from a passing WAC!

        [Similarly:]        Sound off!
                       One two!
                       Sound off!
                       Three four!
                       Cadence count!
                One, two, three, four, one, two—Three four!

                 There ain't no use in goin' back
                 Jody's livin' in your shack!
                 Jody's got somethin' you ain't got!
                 It's been so long, I almost forgot!

                 Sound off! [etc.]

                 If I die in the combat zone
                 Box me up and ship me home!

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Azizi
Date: 14 May 06 - 10:24 PM

For those interested in the source of the lyrics of military cadences, here's an example of a military cadence that has the similar "when I die..bury me deep" line as a song that was included in Thomas W. Talley's 1922 book "Negro Folk Rhymes".

C-130

C-130 rolling down the strip
Airborne daddy on a one way trip
Mission uncertain, destination unknown
We don't know if we're ever coming home
Stand up, hook up, shuffle to the door
Jump right out and count to four
If my main don't open wide
I got another one by my side
If that one should fail me too
Look out ground I'm coming through
Slip to the right and slip to the left
Slip on down, do a PLF
Hit the drop zone with my feet apart
Legs in my stomach and feet in my heart
If I die on the old drop zone
Box me up and ship me home
Pin my wings upon my chest
Bury me in the leaning rest
If I die in the Spanish Moors
Bury me deep with a case of Coors
If I die in Korean mud
Bury me deep with a case of Bud
If I die in a firefight
Bury me deep with a case of Lite
If I die in a German blitz
Bury me deep with a case of Schlitz
If I die, don't bring me back
Just bury me with a case of Jack

-snip-

"US Army running cadence, named after the C-130 Hercules.
The cadence is simply called C-130, and has to do with jumping out of a perfectly good airplane."

Online source:
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=C-13


*Click Lyr Req: ' O when I die don't bury my bones'? to see my 14 May 06 - 06:06 PM post with the words to that song.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Azizi
Date: 14 May 06 - 10:49 PM

GUEST,a friend 18 Nov 04 - 11:49 AM posted a version of the military cadence "Mama Mama Can't You See". Here's another version of that military cadence:

MOMMA MOMMA CAN'T YOU SEE
Momma, momma, can't you see
what the Army's done to me
Momma, momma, can't you see
what the Army's done to me

They took away my faded jeans
Now I'm wearing Army greens
They took away my faded jeans
Now I'm wearing Army greens

Chorus:
Boy, I want to go
But they want let me go
Home, oh home, oh hommme

Momma, momma, can't you see
what the Army's done to me
Momma, momma, can't you see
what the Army's done to me

They put me in a barber's chair
I turned around, I had no hair
They put me in a barber's chair
I turned around, I had no hair

Chorus:

Momma, momma, can't you see
what the Army's done to me
Momma, momma, can't you see

what the Army's done to me
I used to drive a Cadillac
Now I hump it on my back
I used to drive a Cadillac
Now I hump it on my back

Chorus:

Momma, momma, can't you see
what the Army's done to me
Momma, momma, can't you see
what the Army's done to me

I used to date a beauty queen
Now I hug my M-16
I used to date a beauty queen
Now I hug my M-16

Chorus:

Momma, momma, can't you see
what the Army's done to me
Momma, momma, can't you see
what the Army's done to me

I used to drive a Chevrolet
Now I'm walking all the way
I used to drive a Chevrolet
Now I'm walking all the way

Chorus:

Momma, momma, can't you see
what the Army's done to me
Momma, momma, can't you see
what the Army's done to me

http://www.gruntsmilitary.com/cadence/journal.cgi?folder=journal&next=37

That cadence has become the bases for this children's handclap rhyme:

Mama Mama can't you see
What the army's done to me.
He took away my MTV.
He made me watch Barney.
Tic Tac Toe
Three in a row
Your mama got killed my GI Joe.
Don't stop till your hands get hot
Don't stop till your hands get red.

[the two children do series of fast handclaps until one child stops because the claps hurt her {or his} hand].

-snip-

See the Mudcat thread "Jodie's Children's" listed above with the related threads for more information on this rhyme.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: NH Dave
Date: 15 May 06 - 12:29 AM

As Jeri pointed out a couple of years ago, aside from Basic Training, or Tech School,the Air Force doesn't march much; we are more individualistic. You have a place to be and a time to get there. If you can't master that simple task, perhaps you don't belong in the AF.

Additionally there are really two Air Forces, the clean and neat Air Force that works in offices and never gets dirty, and the green baggy Air Force that works in motor pools, carpentry shops, or the flightline, and always leaves the job dirty; and considerable friction between the two. The blue AF lives a block or so from the dining hall, and where s/he works, while the green grubby AF lives and eats on one side of the base, and works on the other, and rides the bus back and forth between the two, when the bus is running. The blue AF works 9:00 - 5:00, and sees no reason why the man who got off work at midnight or 6:00 AM can't make it into his office for a 9:30 AM appointment, and sends nasty letters when this happens.

From my time in the Army and Air Force, I would suggest that a Drill Sgt, or NCO in charge of getting 250 troops from point "A" to point "B" is much like the shanty man who stands near hard work getting done, and plays a tune, or leads a shanty to get the work done easier and faster. As in shanty men, there are good and bad NCOs drilling or moving troops. The good ones have fertile imaginations, never sing the same cadence twice, and make the march go quickly. Others sung the same songs or cadences, and sometimes the troops made some up as well. Most were filthy, but they did keep spirits up during longer distances, where marching was necessary. Usually when marching longer distances the men were spread out and each walked at their own pace, just as long as they kept up with the rest of the unit. Marching isn't fun for long distances, especially when it is hot and dusty.

       Dave

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 03:42 PM

one by one we were havin some fun on the mountain all day and all through the night!

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,Sgt. Furlow
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 02:58 AM

Basic training in Ft. Dix, NJ. Looking for word to Yellow Bird

A yellow bird
a yellow bird
With a yellow bill
with a yellow bill
Was sitting on
   was sitting on
My window sill
   my window sill
A yellow bird
   a yellow bird
with a yellow bill
with a yellow bill
Was sitting on my (stomp) window sill

there are a few more verses   any help?

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Azizi
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 07:40 AM

Yellow Bird

A yellow bird
with a yellow bill
Was sittin' on
my window sill
I lured him in
with a piece of bread
And then I smashed
his little head
The doctor came
to check his head
"Indeed" he said
"this bird is dead"
The moral of
this story, you see
If you're a bird
Don't mess with me!

Source: Grunt's Military Cadences

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 07:18 AM

The Navy sent me to college in the V12 program in 1944. Marching past the girls' dormitory singing the bawdier versions of 'Bell Bottom Trousers', 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon' and 'I've Got Sixpence' drew a loud "Knock It Off" from the Chief. After half a dozen paces in silence a voice from the middle of the formation started "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know". Works well.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,ben z at swhs jrotc
Date: 11 Oct 06 - 07:21 PM

Mama mama look at me
Look what the airforce done to me
I used to date a beauty queen
Now i shoot my M16

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,Urbane Guerrilla
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 02:12 AM

What? No mention of R. Lee Ermey shaking up the barracks, right shoulder arms, in Full Metal Jacket with a 6/8 rendering of

"This is my rifle, this is my gun (w/repeat)
One is for killing and one is for fun (w/repeat)"

with suitable gestures? Jeez!

I have no idea WHAT kind of unit would use this one -- a whole company of chaplains' assistants maybe:

"Ky-ri-e e-le-i-son/Ky-ri-e e-le-i-son
Chri-is-te e-le-i-son/Chr-is-te e-le-i-son
Sing the first word/Kyrie
Now the next one/'Leison
Now sing the other thing/Christe! 'Leison!"

(It's amazing just how easy it is to find former servicemen in a church choir by starting to sing this cadence.)

And some DI somewhere will eventually afflict a company with a 6/8 (not too far off the original beat):

"Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? (w/repeat)
Absorbent and porous and yellow is he (w/repeat)
If nautical foolishness be what you wish (w/repeat)
Get down on the deck and then flop like a fish! (w/repeat)
Spongebob/Squarepants
Spongebob/Squarepants
Sponge bob Square pants Spongebob/SQUAREPANTS!"

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Azizi
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 06:54 AM

GUEST,ben z at swhs jrotc,

LOL & kudos re that SpongeBob Squarepants chant.

Is that your creation? And have you tried it out in your rotc group?

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST, g brown
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 09:35 PM

i would love it if some one would send me a copy of cadances or jodys on cassette tape you can sent it to glenn brown 12402 fort crook rd s belleuve ne 68123 thanks

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,Bill
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 03:16 PM

I remember the "Ole king Cole" cadence as well. (circa '75, Ft. Puke, Lousyanna)

Also:
The prettiest girl,
I ever saw
was drinking bourbon
through a straw.

I walked right up,
said "How do you do"?
She said "I'm fine,
And how are you"?

I placed my hand,
upon her thigh,
she said "Young man,
you're way to high".

I moved my hand
up to her twat,
she said "Young man,
you're making me hot".

I picked her up,
I laid her down,
her long blonde hair
lay all around.

I put it in,
I pulled it out,
it felt so good,
I had to shout!

The wedding was
a formal one,
her daddy had
a white shotgun.

And now I've got
a mother-in-law
and 14 kids,
who call me Pa.

Or when we were marching around post (with all of the cadres families around):

See that girl all dressed in red?
Honey, honey,
She makes a livin' in her bed,
Babe, babe
See that girl all dressed in red,
She makes a livin' in her bed,
Honey, oh babe, of mine,
Give me your left, your right, your left, hey!

See that girl all dressed in black,
Honey, honey,
She makes a livin' on her back,
Babe, babe
See that girl all dressed in black,
She makes a livin' on her back,
Honey, oh babe, of mine,
Give me your left, your right, your left, hey!

(other verses similar to above)

See that girl all dressed in green,
she'll go down like a submarine...

See that girl all dressed in blue,
husband don't know it, but we all do....

See that girl all dressed in yella,
She'll make out with any ole fella....

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Common Tater
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 03:40 PM

Some of the above running songs or marching songs (Jodies) I'd heard and sung (with minor adaptations) while in Marine Corps Boot Camp. Some of the ones we sang are not anything I'd like anyone's 10 year-old daughter to read - so I won't print them here.

There was one, however (a running song) that I learned at a school following boot camp. It was quite unique:

Saw an old lady walking down the street.
She had tanks on her back and fins on her feet.
I said "hey old lady, now where you been?'
She said 'To SCUBA school, but I'm goin' again'.

I said, "Hey, old lady, now you're too old;
You better leave that stuff to the brave and the bold'
She said, "Up yours, Jarhead, now can't you see;
I teach SCUBA for the UDT'.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,Bryan2007
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 04:03 PM

Having spent 23 years in the Marines, "Jodie" is the guy that is doing your woman while you're away. A Jodie would be specific to a cheating wife/girlfriend such as:

Ain't no use in looking down
Ain't no discharge on the ground.
Ain't no use in going home.
Jody's got your girl and gone.
Ain't no use in lookin' back.
Jody's got your Cadillac.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,Bryan2007
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 04:08 PM

I wrote a chant I used to sing to my guys in the Corps. Wanna hear it? Here it goes:

My daddy said back in Viet Nam,
While shootin' at them Viet Cong.
He found a little puppy in the free-fire zone,
The poor little puppy looked so all alone.
So he crawled out in the combat prone,
To get that puppy who had no home.
Scooped up the puppy - put it in his pack,
And ate the little rascal when he got back.
Eatin' a little puppy you may think is foul,
But what's a matter with a little puppy chow.
I don't know what you'd think is worse,
He ate the little puppy but he shagged him first.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,luis loera
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 04:05 PM

i dont no what i culd be
into i joind the rotc
sund off 12 sond off 34
count cadians 1234 12_34.

Subject: military chant
From: GUEST,papaduckbutt
Date: 07 Apr 07 - 02:32 PM

I wish all the ladies were holes in the road
and i was a truck driver i would give them the load,
i Wish all the ladies were pies on the shelf
and i was a baker i would eat them all my self.
I wish all the ladies were blades in the grass,
and i was a wierdo i would bang them in the ass.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Apr 07 - 06:48 PM

WITH ALL DO RESPECT THIS CITE IS SHIT. IT IS WERY HARD TO FIND JODIES OF A SPACIFIC NATURE.


      PO3. MARK BONITO BASTROP TX NJROTC

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 02:31 AM

Jeez, I can't get that to fit to any tune I know.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,Stan
Date: 22 Jun 07 - 12:39 AM

I first heard the song about 'one keg for the four of us' when I was going to UCLA. We always thought it was a Notre Dame Drinking Song. I never heard it sung anytime during my 38 months in the Army Air Force during WWII. The lyric is as follows:

Drink, drank drunk
Drunk the night before
Gonna get drunk tonight
Like I never got drunk before
For when I'm drunk
I'm as happy as can be
For I am a member of the Dutch family
There's the Amsterdam Dutch and the Rotterdam Dutdh
The Potsdam Dutch and the Goddamn Dutch
So sing glorious, victorious
One keg of beer for the four of us
And glory be to God that there are no more of us
For one of us could drink it all alone, damned near
Here's to the Irish, dead drunk
The lucky stiffs

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: cookster
Date: 22 Jun 07 - 11:25 AM

Captain's face is turnin' green someone peed in his canteen [sound off]one two[sound off] three four[bring it on down]one, two three four, one two...three,four!

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: cookster
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 02:46 PM

no offense guest, but f#ck you.

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: EuGene
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 04:29 PM

Man, do I ever remember those old cadence calls we used to do, all of which I think were meant to put psychological pressure on the troops so they would soften up and the Drill Instructors could "mold 'em" into what the Army thought they should be. Those downright mean old Jody calls actually had some of the guys crying in their bunks at night and others mad and ready to go home and open a can of "Whoop ass" on some as yet unknown dude who was cuckolding them while they were away!

Some times there were additional verses added by the most creative DI's, but here's the most common ones we marched to. (The DI gave the calls and the soldiers yelled the capitalized chorus parts):

Your pants pulled up, your belt's pulled tight,
Your balls are swingin from left to right.

Them nuts ain't got a thing to do,
'Cause 4F Jody's took over for you.

(cadence chorus)
Gimme a one (ONE!) Gimme a two (TWO!) Gimme a three (THREE!) Gimme a four (FOUR!)
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR! Bring it on down! ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, ONE, TWO . . . THREEFOUR!

You're in the Army now to stay,
While Jody's back at home today.

Be a while 'till you get back,
So Jody's drivin your Cadillac.

(cadence chorus)

I don't know but it's been said,
Ole jody's got your gal in bed.

Don't feel sad and don't feel blue,
'Cause Jody's got your sister too.

(cadence chorus)

For those who never faced the draft, Jody's designation as 4F meant that he was one who had been determined to be unfit for military service . . . often that meant he was in perfect mental and physical condition and the son of someone with political pull!

Also, those song about "See the girl dressed in red", "...black", "...green", etc. were often sung when we were riding in the back of a truck ("deuce-and-a-half" or 2 1/2 ton truck) going out into the field for training. They were usually sang two liner at a time with a chorus in between:

See the girl dressed in red,
Makes her livin' in her bed.

Hey, Lolly, Lolly, Lolly,
Hey, Lolly, Lolly, Low.
Hey, Lolly, Lolly, Lolly,
Hey, girl, I love you so.

(next two liner)

Instead of that "Woody Guthrie" chorus above, there was also an alternate nonsense chorus that was sometimes sung:

Oh, wrap your root around a tree,
'round a tree,
Oh, wrap your root around a tree.

Guess us soldiers didn't have much else to do for entertainment.

Eu

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 05:17 PM

when was that, EuGene? Can you think of any more?

---

Please remember to use a consistent name when you post. Messages with the "from" space blank, risk being deleted.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: EuGene
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 05:39 PM

Golly, GUEST (Knock! Knock! Who's there? GUEST. GUEST who? PolterGUEST), I don't have a moniker, so I didn't know how else to address you. Ha!

I was in the Army going through Basic and AIT in 1966 - 1967. We had several other marching ditties we used to sing, but the Jody thing was the only one that really sticks in my mind.

I surmised at the time that it must have been actually composed officially by the Army training command leaders as a good way to put pressure on the recruits to soften us up and to psychologically break down our "individualism". That way we could then be easily remolded into cookie cutter soldiers . . . that ditty did have a profound effect on some of the guys (as I noted), and stuck with all of us to some extent, so that's why "Jody" is still in the dark recesses of my aging mind.

Eu

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 06:16 PM

A yellow bird
with a yellow bill
was perched upon
my window sill
I lurd him in
with a piece of bread
an then I smashed his F'n head!

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 08:06 PM

Sorry EuGene. That was me on a different computer w/o a cookie. Thanks for answering!

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: EuGene
Date: 24 Jun 07 - 12:40 AM

Lighter, thanks for allowing me to open my answer with a bit of puntificating . . . the urge to indulge in the basest form of humor was a harlequinade's imperative, and I am weak. Eu

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: EuGene
Date: 24 Jun 07 - 03:59 PM

I forgot another chant that most Army guys might remember, the Airborne Ranger chant:

The first two lines (both the same wording) were sung to a tune similar to (if not exactly like) the opening line melody of the 1960's pop tune "Sukiyaki" (by a Japanese singer, and sung in Japanese). This chant was only used when we were marching double-time, which means trotting, similar to a jogging pace:

"I wanna be an Airborne Ranger,
I wanna live a life of danger."

(this was followed by ad-libbed chants, each chant separated from the preceding one by 3 beats/footfalls)

"Up the hill."
"Down the hill."
"Over the hill."
"Under the hill."
"Through the hill."
etc. etc.

The troops would also throw in a lot of loud grunts, "Ah-HOO-Ah!", and other battle cries . . . we probably sounded like a bunch of Don Cossacks singing "Meadowland", sans whistling. I'm guessing that we sounded so fierce that we scared meanies everywhere they might be lurking, sort of like when Puff ". . . let out his mighty roar."   Eu

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: EuGene
Date: 24 Jun 07 - 04:14 PM

Whoa, Dubbin! I didn't mean to say that the first 2 lines of the Airborne Ranger chant both had the same words, rather that they were sung the same way, both to the melody of the opening line in "Sukiyaki".

Since that song is in Japanese, I can't print its words! I'm a hillbilly, so my present challenge is English . . . other languages must just bide their time until I get "a round tuit".   Eu

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: cookster
Date: 24 Jun 07 - 04:16 PM

EuGene, have you read your messages yet?

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: EuGene
Date: 24 Jun 07 - 04:37 PM

Cookster: Yes, as far as I know, I have read them all. Had to clear out a few, hopefully I didn't drop a message from you by mistake. The last one I saw was about how the AK-47 would work while muddy. If you posted anything later that anticipated a reply, I may have accidently deleted it . . . try again. Eu

Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
From: Azizi
Date: 24 Jun 07 - 05:59 PM

Here's an excerpt of an interesting article that I found by goggling "airborne ranger chant":

"Released in 2002 by the Orchard, the recordings of U.S. military "cadence calls" gathered on Marching Cadences of the U.S. Marines, Run in Cadence with the U.S. Marines, Vol. 2 and Run to Cadence with the Recon Marines should be instantly familiar to anyone who has ever watched a war film. These rhythmic chants are always prominently featured in montage sequences of boot camp training. From Stripes to Full Metal Jacket to Jarhead, you know the drill: A vein-popping sergeant barks out bawdy, macho calls and the newly shorn privates grunt back, as stomping combat boots keep time on parade-ground tarmac and the new recruits magically turn into seasoned leathernecks.

Fans of '80s rock will know this stuff for a different reason: The "I wanna be an airborne ranger" chant that fades up at the end of U2's "Seconds" (from their War album) was subsequently immortalized by Judd Nelson-as-Bender, jogging through his high school's halls in the 1985 John Hughes film The Breakfast Club. U2 and Hughes/Bender were mocking such calls (and military culture in general) as stiff, conformist and square, a matter of top-down discipline and nothing more, and they had a point: this is the sound of individuals tightening into an obedient group, of bodies being brought into line, and that's why these recordings were, somewhat optimistically, marketed as functional fitness soundtracks for running or aerobics. But when you listen to the perverse lyrics and (frequently amazing) vocal performances collected here, the cadence call is revealed as in fact a wildly diverse, popular American folk form in its own right.

Supposedly created in 1944 by private Willie Duckworth's immortal chant ("Sound off, one, two/Sound off, three, four/One, two, three, four/One, two-three, four!"), the cadence call takes lyrical fragments of social history and sets them to riffs and patterns hot-rodded from blues and rock & roll, and more distantly, the call-and-response of gospel and African music. The chanted words are a free-range combination of motifs that offer a window into the military mind: mournful, mocking descriptions of the recruiters who got you into this mess, anxiety about "jodies" (civilians) stealing the sweethearts left behind, somber expressions of death-bound macho grandiloquence, and politically incorrect sexual braggadoccio."

http://www.emusic.com/features/spotlight/289_200604.html
"I Wanna Be An Airborne Ranger
-snip-

The article continues with a description of the recording.

**

Btw, unless someone beat me to it, this is post #100!