Lyr Req: Korean war song

Subject: Korean war song
From: GUEST,USN vet
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 09:20 AM

I received a request from a woman looking to recover the words to a song that her father, a Korean War USN pilot, remembers only in parts. The chorus runs "Rolls in, rolls in, My God how that fog bank rolls in, rolls in." She says that she also recalls something about the ceiling being below 40 feet,and the guy in the song telling his son to take care of his old ball and chain. Does this ring any bells with anyone? There is a reunion of his buddies coming up and she wants to be able to give them all the song lyrics. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 11:12 AM

No luck at all with Google.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 07:13 PM

I've a friend who is a membor of the Old Bold Pilots Assn. and will ask him - he's made a couple of CDs of that type of music.

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: GUEST,Lyle
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 08:24 PM

Well, there isn't A song (implying one song) like that. What you are refering to is a general song that at last count had about a million verses. These were made up by persons in every branch of the service, and just about every AFSC - (MOS for you army types). Most of them were about sex in one form or another, and the second largest group were about specific jobs within the services. The tune was "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean." You will probably have to find a Navy person who served in similiar places to get the exact words.

BTW, want to have some fun with that woman's father? Tell him that it is wrong to call him a USN pilot. Tell him navy people were flyers - all the REAL pilots were Air Force. You will get an interesting response!

Lyle

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 07:05 AM

G'day Lyle,

It may well depend on nationality and service, but the songs of the type quoted by USN vet are, at least in Australia (and, to the best of my knowledge, in the British forces), usually sung to John Brown's Body (or Battle Hymn of the Republic). It certainly is a portmanteau lyric, using whatever is appropriate from the last version - and making up new verses to cover today's situation.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: GUEST,Lyle
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 05:47 PM

You are right, Bob. What I should have said was, "The most POPULAR US tune for these songs was My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean, but there were others." And you are also right that John Browns Body was used a lot.

Lyle

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 06:04 PM

Oh geez Lyle - I about spewed my water over the screen when I read your response!!!!!!!!! I work for the Air Force, am a former Marine, and have friends from both branches - it is hilarious to watch them struggle with those connotations!

Mt OBPA guy is saying the same thing as you are about this song. But he is going to check with a couple of folks to be sure.

Gotta love it! Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: GUEST,M Cave
Date: 23 Oct 13 - 11:34 AM

Ode to Argentia

(Tune: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean)

Enroute from Goose Bay to Argentia
the Pilot was singing the blues,
While circling the town of Placentia,
the Tower gave forth the bad news. . . .

Chorus: Rolls in, rolls in, my God how that fog bank rolls in, rolls in,
Rolls in, rolls in, my God how that fog bank rolls in!


Argentia was zero and zero,
Torbay had forgotten the sun,
I wish to God I was a hero,
I'd try to make Bluie West One. . . . (chorus)

I asked for the weather at Gander,
they said that the ceiling was low,
the forecaster's lost on the runway,
He thinks that it's going to snow. . . . (chorus)

Torbay has a hole in the ceiling,
they say that it's forty feet wide,
But I have this God-awful feeling,
the whole thing is just local pride. . . .(chorus)

Goodbye to my dear aged mother,
Farewell to my young ball and chain,
When they pull my arse from the wreckage,
Please tell them I mentioned their name. . . .(chorus)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: Lighter
Date: 23 Oct 13 - 01:21 PM

Amazing find - against the odds!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 23 Oct 13 - 01:48 PM

DOes anyone know the Korean war song "Fighting for that bastard Syngman Rhee"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: Lighter
Date: 23 Oct 13 - 03:18 PM

It looks like it came in part from "That Battleship of Maine"/ "That Crazy War" - except it was sung by the Kiwis and Australians!:

http://lbha.proboards.com/thread/1191?page=2#ixzz2iZX98ZVS


"This all reminds me of many years ago in Korea, a popular verse of the time was:

Why are you running - are you afraid to die?
The reason we are running is because we cannot fly
We're fighting for that bastard Syngman Rhee."


More, from Martin Page, "For Gawdsake Don't Take Me!" (1976):

When I was in New Zealand
Having lots of fun,
A war broke out in Korea,
They handed me a gun,
Just to fight for that bastard, Syngman Rhee.

We landed at Pusan,
It wasn't very nice,
We didn't come to Korea,
To eat your mouldy rice,
But to fight for that bastard, Syngman Rhee.

Oh my feet are weary
From travelling dusty roads.
Oh my back is aching
From carrying heavy loads,
'Cause I'm fighting for that bastard, Syngman Rhee.



And from Warren Fahey's "Diggers' Songs" (1996):

I was back in Aussie,
Havin' lots of fun.
When the war broke out in Ko-re-a,
And they handed me a gun,
Just to fight for that bastard Syngman Rhee.

CHO:
Syngman Rhee!
Syngman Rhee!
Just to fight for that bastard, Syngman Rhee.

They sent me off to Ko-re-a,
It wasn't very nice,
I didn't come to Ko-re-a
To eat their f-----g rice,
Or to fight for that bastard, Syngman Rhee.

Oh, my feet are weary,
From travelling dusty roads,
Oh, my back is aching,
From carrying heavy loads,
'Cause I'm fighting for that bastard, Syngman Rhee.

If I get back to Aussie,
I'll tell some other lad,
Don't ever go to Ko-re-a,
Unless you're f-----g mad.
For you'll be fighting for that bastard, Syngman Rhee.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: Lighter
Date: 23 Oct 13 - 03:29 PM

During a meeting of the Joint Chiefs and State Department officials in June, 1952, U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. William Fechteler described Syngman Rhee in passing as a "bastard."

Independent inspiration?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: Lighter
Date: 23 Oct 13 - 03:34 PM

And according to Winston Churchill's doctor, so did Churchill in 1953.

A pattern begins to emerge.....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 23 Oct 13 - 08:45 PM

Many thanx, JOn
Yes, it's part of the song family that more recently (in Vietnam) included "Fighting for that bastard Colonel Nighn"
Youve given me a previously missing link in the chain of what was (is) a remarkably durable song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: GUEST,M Cave
Date: 24 Oct 13 - 08:42 AM

Does anyone have lyrics to any songs sung by the British troops in Korea? I have a friend who was stationed there in 1953 with the REME just a couple of miles from a New Zealand transport regiment, mainly Maoris. They became good friends which may be where he heard the Syngman Rhee song. I'd been looking for Korean war song lyrics for him and found this page, then researched and found the Rolls in, rolls in lyrics which I posted. Delighted to get Syngman Rhee as he specifically mentions this song in his book.   Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 24 Oct 13 - 08:48 AM

Ghost Army of Korea.
I will find it for you or give you my recollection.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 24 Oct 13 - 08:50 AM

That was easy.
It is in DT.

@displaysong.cfm?SongID=2232

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: GUEST,Madelaine Cave
Date: 24 Oct 13 - 09:19 AM

Thanks Keith. Did any of you serve in Korea?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: Lighter
Date: 24 Oct 13 - 09:29 AM

Not me.

Know any other similar songs, Madelaine? You should post them if you do.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: GUEST,M Cave
Date: 24 Oct 13 - 09:35 AM

With rusted fifties and dud rockets,
With pilots as old as they seem,
We fly these worn out Mustangs,
Against their MIG 15.

Forgotten by country that bore us,
Betrayed by the ones we hold dear,
The good have all gone before us,
And only the dull are still here.

So stand to your glasses so steady,
This world is a world full of lies,
Here's a toast to those dead already,
And here's to the next man to die.

          --- From STAND TO YOUR GLASSES
             Collected from the USAF 8th Bomber Wing, Korea
             Tune: "Wrap Me Up In My Tarpaulin Jacket"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: GUEST,M Cave
Date: 24 Oct 13 - 09:43 AM

I don't know any Lighter, I'm just researching for a friend but will post any I find, as above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: Leadfingers
Date: 25 Oct 13 - 07:15 AM

There is a Korean War verse to 'Bless 'Em All' :-

The Reds have a very fine kite so they

This we no longer doubt

If you're in Korea with a Mig up your rear

This is the way to get out

Stay cool calm and sedsate , mate

Dont let you British blood boil

Dont hesitate , slam it straight through the gate

And smother the bastard with oil

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: GUEST,Sam Rinaldi
Date: 17 Sep 18 - 09:26 AM

In Goodbye, Farewell, Amen, the final episode of M*A*S*H, Hawkeye while in the psych ward sings something about a White Christmas for Syngman Rhee. I can't find it anywhere!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Korean war song
From: GUEST,Len Tarleton NZ
Date: 12 Jan 20 - 01:47 AM

Having just reached the dizzy age of 4 score years plus 20, I have thought of this song, (Syngman Rhee etc) intermittently over the years, from when I was in an evening London Underground train from Wembley to Euston in 1956 or 57
There were a bunch of guys maybe 5 or 6 who had a 2 doz case of beer and were singing this at the tops of their voices. For some reason, I suspected they were ex or current Middlesex Regt ( The "Die Hards") and were involved in sone kind of reunion or just a get-together
I dont recall them venturing into "Why dont they send for the old die-hards" which would have confirmed their military origins