Did this one freestyle one morning. Never could get it out of my head!
I was brand new to the Army, and we were out early one morning marching around a field before a run. The platoon leader knew that I had never called cadence before, so he called me out in front of the whole platoon and told me to march the unit. I did not know any marching songs, so I started out with a "left, right, left," and then I just started singing what came to mind. Here's the cadence I came up with:
If you don't want to be here
(Echo)
Pack your bags and go home
(Echo)
We don't want no quitters
(Echo)
Singin' our song
(Echo)
Army, Army
(Echo)
We fight tonight
(Echo)
I love the Army
(Echo)
Everything is all right
(Echo)
Swing your arms up down
(Echo)
Forty inches all around
(Echo)
If you don't want to be here
(Echo)
Pack your bags and go home
(Echo)
I don't know but I've been told
(Echo)
This here Army's good as gold
(Echo)
Left, Right, Left, Right
(Echo)
Left, Right you're outa sight
(Echo)
If you don't want to be here
(Echo)
Pack your bags and go home
(Echo)
We don't want no quitters
(Echo)
Singin' our song
(Echo)
Copyright 2011 by Casey Sean Harmon. All Rights Reserved.
From my book "Becoming"...
Illinois National Guard
Camp McCoy, Wisconsin
July 12, 1950 (At the start of the Korean War)
From the black macadam of the camp onto the dirt road going south, “Hup-two-three-four!” The day was hot, bright and dry, and soon a light cloud of brown dust hung over the marching army
“La-pimp-ski!”
“Huh?” Almost losing his step, “Yes, Sir!”
“Don’t call me Sir, an’ pick up the cadence!”
“Cadence? Me?”
“Your name’s La-pimp-ski, ain’t it?”
“Lipensky!”
“That’s what I said, La-pimp-ski! Pick up the fuckin’ cadence!”
“Uh,” hesitantly, thinking.
“Well, La-pimp-ski, we’re waiting!”
“Uh,” tentatively, “If we go, we’re gonna be,”
If we go we’re gonna be!”
Gaining confidence, “The toughest fighting company!”
“The toughest fighting company!”
Louder, lifting his head, “Sound off!”
“One, two!”
“Sound off!” Louder.
“Three, four!”
Even louder. “Cadence count!”
“One, two, three, four—one, two… Three, four!”
