Rookie rhymes, by the men of the 1st and 2nd provisional training regiments, Plattsburg, New YorkPlattsburgh Barracks (N.Y.)
History
Rookie rhymes, by the men of the 1st and 2nd provisional training regiments, Plattsburg, New York
Plattsburgh Barracks (N.Y.)
American poetry -- Collections; World War, 1914-1918 -- Poetry
New England will be leading when we're marching up the Rhine,
New York will be the rear guard and we'll leave them far behind,
We'll conquer German cities and we'll capture Kaiser Bill,
As we go marching on.
Glory, glory to New England!
Glory, glory to New England!
Glory, glory to New England!
As we go marching on.
ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER RHINE
(_Air: "Through Those Wonderful Glasses of Mine"_)
Germany, we're coming over, we are going straight to France;
We are praying for a chance,
Just to make your soldiers dance.
Kaiser Bill, your doom is coming; take a tip, old top, RESIGN!
For we'll drink beer in June,
By the light of the moon,
On the banks of the River Rhine.
"THE SIMULATING OF THE GREEN"
(_Air: "Wearing of the Green"_)
Oh, Major dear, and did you hear the news that's going round?
We Cavalry must simulate till horses can be found;
We gallop and we single-foot as handsome as can be,
But on our own two feet we ride--a horse you'll never see.
'Tis the most amazing spectacle that's ever graced the green;
A hundred men a-riding where no horses can be seen.
Oh, Colonel dear, ye'll grieve to hear Artillery's the same,
Compared to simulating guns, a horse is rather tame;
Last night I was the left rear wheel--it made me moighty sore,
But dommed if I will be the swab and crawl inside the bore.
'Tis the most amazing spectacle that's ever graced the green,
A-firing rounds and salvos where no cannons can be seen.
DON'T SEND ME HOME
(_Air: Don't Take Me Home_)
Don't send me home, please don't send me home.
Tell me, where did I make that break?
Oh, oh, oh, oh, have a little pity.
I'm a poor candidate, in search of war I roam.
I'll do anything you want me to, but don't
Send me home.
COMPANY NINE
(_Air: "Far Above Cayuga's Water"_)
Hark, ye Rookies, to the chorus
Of old Company Nine;
Captains, Colonels, all adore us,
When we fall in line.
Tho' we're doughboys, we're not slow boys,
Thanks to Sargeant Hill;
And when we take our stand in Deutschland,
Lord help Kaiser Bill!
In the morning at the warning,
"Clothes on Company Nine!"
Feeling rocky, into khaki
Jumps our valiant line.
We shun strawberries in the valley
Off the Peru road,
But in mess shack none can beat us
At the order "Load!"
In Pabst-less Plattsburg, bone-dry rookies,
Waiting for our kale,
Our healths we drink in foamless bumpers,
Full of Adam's ale.
But when the "Sammies" take their Münchener
On the river Rhine,
The toast will be to old New England
And to Company Nine.
WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO EUROPE
(_Air: "My Wife's Away in Europe"_)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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