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Ranger Fight song
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Subject: RE: Ranger Fight song From: GUEST,GUEST Date: 10 Sep 11 - 10:07 PM 1970
Richard Stitt (aka Chicken Stitt) Non-Offical Ranger Song Book
Hiking rangers from the hills,
Back at home - their girl friend waits
"Tetroks" - a cleaning soap disinfectant for dishes - that had such a legend about its "dis-embowling" properties ... it insured a cleansing dip in HTH (Here's to Health) boiling water. |
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Subject: RE: Ranger Fight song From: GUEST,MCitySailor Date: 10 Sep 11 - 05:19 PM I remember a verse that went something like this, " When we get to Hell, we'll tell Satan; we'll tell the bastard we've been waiting. To bathe him in Holy water then rape his wives and his daughters." refrain follows. This goes back to the mid 1980's from Indiana encampments. |
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Subject: RE: Ranger Fight song From: GUEST,A Michigan Ranger Date: 09 Sep 10 - 02:36 PM OK, now I think I have it pretty well sorted out. First of all, Tim and Terry Todish did not write this song. Believe me, I know. However, they both have handwritten copies from one of the writers. Next, Joey Hall did not write any or all of this song. Joey first heard it at Meadowcroft Village in PA in 1978. I was there when he heard it the first time. Joey has done a great job of popularizing it, and many other traditional and traditional-type songs, but he didn't write this one. I am now pretty certain Sam Hilt is, or at least could be, telling the truth. After the previous exchanges, I spoke with the aforementioned ranger from Michigan, and he added some details. He (the ranger from Michigan) had gone to the 200th reenactment of Bunker Hill in 1975. When he got there, he said "everyone" was singing the "Murder..." verse and the chorus, and he picked up on it. This is probably what Sam Hilt had written. The ranger had no idea who had written it, and still doesn't. After the event, he drove back to Michigan. A few months later, he headed back to the east coast to take part in some other reenactments, including Arnold's March to Quebec. During his drive from Michigan to the east, he wrote the second and third verses ("With torch and sword..." and "Ye who follow the paths of glory..."). Anyway, to correct the info I previously submitted, the ranger from Michigan wasn't involved in the initial writing of the song, he just added to what someone else (Sam HIt?) had started. Since then, others have added more and different verses, including some that are specifically Rev War era. I even found a Hogwarts version at some filk song site one time. |
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Subject: RE: Ranger Fight song From: GUEST Date: 07 Dec 09 - 12:13 PM Tim and Terry Todish wrote it Not thies sam and joey people |
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Subject: RE: Ranger Fight song From: mg Date: 22 Sep 07 - 12:15 AM Don't mix up Green Berets and Rangers. mg |
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Subject: RE: Ranger Fight song From: Peace Date: 21 Sep 07 - 10:04 PM "Mike's voice is amoung the most powerful and expressive I've heard. He makes the old songs new. There's a harp track on "Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier" which will haunt you forever. "We Danced to an Old Fashioned Tune" will give the dance crowd a new tune to waltz to. This CD is a superb example of the voice being the best musical instrument." From "The Cornstalk Gazette", the publication of The Folk Federation of New South Wales, Inc., Australia, April,1998, by Sam Hilt. {Note: Sam Hilt is an American who served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam, immigrated to Australia after the war and has become a citizen of that country. He is an authority on military folk music with several published song books and a recently recorded CD, "Apres La Guerre". Send Sam a Song at email.' |
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Subject: RE: Ranger Fight song From: GUEST,michigan highlander Date: 21 Sep 07 - 09:05 PM I understand that i'm jumping on this thread a little late. but the michigan ranger is right. this song was written on a bar napkin by several members of jeagers battalion(michigan). some of my very good friends were there for this songs creation. so anyone that has ideas that this song has any historical background is wrong. anyone that says they wrote it and isn't even a member of rangers is lieing. |
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Subject: RE: Ranger Fight song From: GUEST,A Michigan Ranger Date: 24 Aug 06 - 06:58 PM OK, I've kept an eye on this forum for a couple years without stepping in, but now I have to say something. Joey Hall did NOT write or coauthor the Ranger Fight Song. I know, because I was there when Joey learned it... The first verse ("Murder...") and chorus, and perhaps segments of the other verses, were written during the American Rev. War Bicentennial in 1975 by a Rogers' Ranger from Michigan (not me) and some others. It was around the time of the reenactment of Bunker Hill and of Arnold's March to Quebec. I've never heard of Sam Hilt, but he may very well have been in on it. Over the next few months the Michigan Ranger polished the two verses ("With torch and sword...." and "Ye who would follow...") often considered "standard". There may have been other collaborators, but I have a handwritten version of the song given to me by the Michigan Ranger about 1978, and it is basically the same as the version that appears here. The other verses (about cannibalism, etc.) may have evolved on the East Coast. I suspect they did. I'm pretty sure that one or more of the initial authors was a British Light Infantryman, so the involvement of the 64th Lights is very possible. Some things to consider: This is the "Ranger" fight song, so it stands to reason that at least one Ranger was involved in its creation. In the original version, there is a reference to "mixing rum with holy waters"- obviously a slam at Catholics. There's little evidence of British Light Infantry, especially of the Revolutionary War era, defiling Catholic churches (probably because the French Canadians were their allies). But Rogers' Rangers of the French and Indian War period are a different story. They looted the parish church at St. Francis/Odanak, and took the sacred vessels and a silver statue of the Virgin Mary. That line of the "Ranger Fight Song" is almost certainly a reference to the St. Francis Raid. It was at Meadowcroft Village in Avella, PA in 1978 or '79 that Joey Hall first heard the song, sung by the Michigan Ranger/co-author and others who learned it from him. Joey was very taken with it, and added to his repretoire (which consisted at that time largely of Hank Williams, Jr. type honkey-tonk music). As Joey moved more to doing Celtic music and contemporary folk, especially after the formation of Father, Son, and Friends with his son Sean (who also was at Meadowcroft, I think, serving as a color-bearer for Dave Barry's Ranger Company from OH), he did the song more and more. Some people came to think it was Joey's creation, but it wasn't. There have been additional verses, alternate versions (including a "Rangerette Fight Song" that my wife helped compose...), and other exmples of the true folk tradition as this song has evolved over time. Doubtless this will continue. |
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Subject: RE: Ranger Fight song From: Jim Dixon Date: 22 Jul 06 - 06:55 PM I assume the two songs referred to are THE RANGER FIGHT SONG and THE RANGER SONG (2). |
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Subject: RE: Ranger Fight song From: GUEST,andrew Date: 29 Jun 06 - 12:46 PM The second indivual who help write the Ranger Fight Song is Joey Hall of Father, Son, and Friends. Joey is also involed with Rev War Re-enacting as a member of the 42 Royal Highland Regt., Grenadier Coy., aka the Blackwatch. As the story goes, Sam and Joey wrote the song one night while enjoying some adult beverages, and the more they drank, the cruder the words got in the song. It became an instant classic around many campfires on Friday and Saturday nights at various re-enacting events. |
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Subject: RE: Ranger Fight song From: dick greenhaus Date: 06 Apr 04 - 01:03 AM Digitrad has two Ranger Fight Songs listed. Which one are we talking about? |
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Subject: Lyr Add: BALLAD OF THE GREEN BERETS From: GUEST Date: 06 Apr 04 - 12:26 AM Purchase - are you seeking the BALLAD OF THE GREEN BERETS? I have a version substituting "Rangers" Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler and Robin Moore, copyright 1966 Fighting soldiers from the sky Fearless men who jump and die Men who mean just what they say The brave men of the Green Beret Silver wings upon their chest These are men, America's best One hundred men will test today But only three win the Green Beret Trained to live off nature's land Trained in combat, hand-to-hand Men who fight by night and day Courage peak from the Green Berets Silver wings upon their chest These are men, America's best One hundred men will test today But only three win the Green Beret Back at home a young wife waits Her Green Beret has met his fate He has died for those oppressed Leaving her his last request Put silver wings on my son's chest Make him one of America's best He'll be a man they'll test one day Have him win the Green Beret. Sincerely, Gargoyle |
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Subject: RE: Ranger Fight song From: Charley Noble Date: 05 Apr 04 - 03:05 PM Sam- Please post the words to the "Ranger Fight Song." Charley Noble |
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Subject: Ranger Fight song From: GUEST Date: 04 Apr 04 - 07:56 PM i Sam Hilt, wrote the Ranger fight song while re-encting Rev War bicenntennil with 64th Reg't of foot, Light infantry Compny. due to passage of time, I forget the individuls nme, but suspect 2nd version ws written by a member of the 64th Grenadier Company. I hd had no contact with the folk revivl, though during civil War centennil i re-eacted with 18th Mississippi volunteers; service songs were sung by prticipnts. My served in vietnam, two tours, with the 173rd Abn Bde, and had no contact with folk revival until 1976 when i arrived back in austrlia. Aside from limited contact in school; my knowledge of folk music at that stge; really, no knowledge of folk song, AS folk song; ws through participation in two traditional societies, military and Penna dutch (Lancaster Co., Penna). My particiption in military society continues; nd research hs led to collection nd analysis of service songs in 7 books in 12 volumes, unpublished, and most songs not heard even within militry society, as some of the songs were written by, and sung within linited community of squad/section (10-12 men, or platoon (20-40 men). Mny sonmgs sung during and originting during the English civiol Wr, 1640's are still sung in Anglo-Celtic militry, nd some songs long pre-dting ECW are still sung. SW Hilt 1247A Mogo Rd Wollar, 2850, NSW Australia 61 02 6373-4257 |
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