Lyr Req: Ballad of Rodger Young (Frank Loesser)

25 Nov 96 - 01:39 PM (#555)
Subject: Lyric req.: Rodger Young
From: David Carson ([e-mail])

Howdy! I'd like to find the lyrics to "The Ballad of Rodger Young", if I could.

I've been looking for Burl Ives' version, but every time I think I've found the right album, it's sold out or out of print, so any suggestions on finding ANY recorded version sould be most appreciated.

Thanks! --David

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26 Nov 96 - 08:29 AM (#570)
Subject: RE: Lyric req.: Rodger Young
From: [e-mail]

A bluegrass group called The Country Gentlemen recorded this song many years ago, and their album might still be in print. I'm not certain, but I may know most of the words, as I myself performed it many years ago.

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26 Nov 96 - 10:08 PM (#580)
Subject: RE: Lyric req.: Rodger Young
From: dick greenhaus

They've got no time for glory in the infantry They've got no time for praises loudly sung...

I'll try to dig up the rest. Oddly enough, I think that the whole song appeared in Robert Heinlein's novel "Starship Trooper."

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14 Dec 96 - 02:34 AM (#778)
Subject: RE: Lyric req.: Rodger Young
From: Dick Wisan

I don't know any more words than Dick Greenhouse has already posted, but I do remember that it was played as a pop song during the war, 1944 or so. I can't prove it, but we were under the impression it wasn't fiction.

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27 Dec 96 - 02:24 PM (#919)
Subject: RE: Lyric req.: Rodger Young
From: Ralph Butts

David....

You've really got my interest up here.
I have strong (but obviously incomplete) recollection of this song.
My parents had the Burl Ives LP in the late 40's,
when they first came out (10-inchers in those days).

I've thrown together a few words I can recall
in the hope that it will jog someone else's memory.
I hope the format comes out right when it gets on the thread.
In the meantime, I'll keep looking, I'd really like to
add this one to my list.

Good hunting........Ralph (Tiger) Butts

  
-----------------------------  
  
They've got no use for glory in the infantry,  
They've got no time for praises loudly sung,  
 ............of the infantry,  
Lives the name, lives the name of Rodger Young,  
  
	Lives the name, Rodger Young,  
	...........................  
	...........................  
	..............., Rodger Young.  
  
.........................  
Just grenades against machine guns in the gloom  
It was there that ...................  
Volunteered, volunteered to meet his doom.  
  
It was he who drew the fire of the enemy  
That a company of men might live to fight.  
But before the deadly fire of the enemy  
Died the man, died the man we hail tonight.  
  
	Died the man, Rodger Young,  
	.........................  
	.........................  
	..............., Rodger Young.  
  
On the island of New Georgia in the Solomons  
Stands a simple wooden cross alone to tell  
that beneath the ......... of the Solomons  
Sleeps a man, sleeps a man remembered well.  
  
	Sleeps the man, Rodger Young,  
	Fought and died for the men he marched among  
	...................  
	..............., Rodger Young.  

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02 Jan 97 - 01:37 PM (#1034)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE BALLAD OF RODGER YOUNG (Frank Loesser
From: [e-mail] [Bill Foster]

RODGER YOUNG a.k.a. THE BALLAD OF RODGER YOUNG
Words and music by Frank Loesser, ©1945.
As sung by Nelson Eddy

Oh, they've got no time for glory in the infantry.
Oh, they've got no use for praises loudly sung,
But in every soldier's heart in all the infantry,
Shines the name, shines the name of Rodger Young,
Shines the name Rodger Young,
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
To the everlasting glory of the infantry,
Lives the story of Private Rodger Young.

Caught in ambush lay a company of riflemen,
Just grenades against machine guns in the gloom,
Caught in ambush till this one of twenty riflemen
Volunteered, volunteered to meet his doom,
Volunteered, Rodger Young,
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
In the everlasting annals of the infantry,
Glows the last deed of Private Rodger Young.

It was he who drew the fire of the enemy
That a company of men might live to fight,
And before the deadly fire of the enemy,
Stood the man, stood the man we hail tonight,
Stood the man, Rodger Young,
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
Like the everlasting courage of the infantry,
Was the courage of Private Rodger Young.

On the island of New Georgia in the Solomons
Stands a simple wooden cross alone to tell
That beneath the silent coral of the Solomons
Sleeps a man, sleeps a man remembered well,
Sleeps a man, Rodger Young,
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
In the everlasting spirit of the infantry,
Breathes the spirit of Private Rodger Young.

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02 Jan 97 - 02:24 PM (#1036)
Subject: RE: Lyric req.: Rodger Young
From: Ralph Butts

Good work, Bill. It's now in my book.

....Tiger

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02 Jan 97 - 10:51 PM (#1050)
Subject: RE: Lyric req.: Rodger Young
From: dick greenhaus

Hi- Thanx for the good work. Come April, it will be in the database.

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16 Jan 97 - 03:27 PM (#1380)
Subject: RE: Lyric req.: Rodger Young
From: [e-mail]

Does anyone have any idea what chords Burl used to play it? Having trouble getting them right. Would appreciate help.

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16 Jan 97 - 09:11 PM (#1389)
Subject: RE: Lyric req.: Rodger Young
From: [e-mail]

One more item about Rodger Young. It was also recorded somtime around 1960 give or take a year by the Chad Mitchell Trio. It was done by the original trio before Joe Frazier joined the group. Colpix Records release it later in the 60's on an album : The Chad Mitchell Trio and The Gatemen, In Concert Everybody's Listening (SCP 463) Colpix was trying to cash in on the trio's popularity at the time by releaseing some material from its vaults. The center disc of the record credits F. Loesser with the song. There is no mention of it on the dust jacket.

rich r

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19 Jan 97 - 04:10 AM (#1445)
Subject: RE: Lyric req.: Rodger Young
From: [e-mail]

I believe it was first recorded circa 1945 by baritone John Charles Thomas on a Red Seal RCA Victor 10-inch, at 78 rpm, of course. Full orchestra, possibly Boston Pops.

Jack McKinney

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