Lyr Req: 'When in trouble, when in doubt

Subject: Lyr Req: 'When in trouble, when in doubt
From: GUEST,Stewart Dean
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 08:01 AM

This isn't really a song, really a piece of doggerel...everyone knows the first two lines, but it's my faint childhood recollection (some 40 years ago) that the original was from the Navy, has 3-4 verses and ends with
"and raise the flag WellDone"

This dates it, 'cuz the Navies haven't used flag signalling (with phrases particularly) in a long time.

Anyone have the full version? Google turns up plenty of hits of people's adapted first two lines, but not the whole thing.......

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'When in trouble, when in doubt
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 08:09 AM

Somewhere I read an old army advice:

When in danger or in doubt,
run in circles, scream and shout!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'When in trouble, when in doubt
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 08:19 AM

When in trouble, when in doubt,
run in circles, scream and shout

and be found in Kurt Vonnegut : Breakfast of Champions
(He was a scout with the Infantry in WWII)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'When in trouble, when in doubt
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 08:40 AM

There is an old Navy saying that applies to both military and civilian life.
"When in trouble, when in doubt--run in circles, scream and shout: "RELIEVE THE WATCH!!!!!"
Found here

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'When in trouble, when in doubt
From: GUEST,Lighter at work
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 11:55 AM

The first two lines appear in "The Caine Mutiny," by Herman Wouk (1951). Wouk was a USN officer in WWII.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'When in trouble, when in doubt
From: frogprince
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 01:04 PM

My mother would say those two lines by the time I was old enough to remember anything, and I'm pretty sure she had picked them up long before that; so I would wager it originated well before WWII, though I "don't have a clue" as to anything more specific; I know of only the two lines.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'When in trouble, when in doubt
From: MMario
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 01:13 PM

I learned this as a child:

When in danger or in doubt
run in circles, scream and shout!

When in sorrow or in pain
Run in circles once again.


when you're angry with your brother
shout at him and not your mother.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'When in trouble, when in doubt
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 03:25 PM

I learned it as

"When in trouble or in doubt
Run in circles, scream and shout."

It has defined my management style.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'When in trouble, when in doubt
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Oct 04 - 02:01 AM

MMario -

I LIKE that version. My kids are probably too old to learn it now though.

John