Friday 11 February 2011

Singing, and swearing, like a trooper

If you want to have a glimpse into the way soldiers think, talk and act then look no further at the songs they sing.

I am a reasonably well educated, well read, artistically inclined individual. I like the theatre, I enjoy talking to academic types and I sometimes think that I have taken in a small amount of high culture and art. In general, when I visit a city, the must see places for me are its museums and cathedral.

But when I wore a giggle hat, I happily went pure animal. This site showcases reams of tunes and ditties - and I've sung many of them in bars and boozers in the company of other grunts when I've had a beer or six. Or ten.

Here's a sample:

Oh they say there's a troopship just leaving Bombay
Bound for old Blighty's shore,
Heavily laden with time-expired men
Bound for the land they adore;
There's many a twat just finishing his time,
There's many a cunt signing on;
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean,
So cheer up my lads, fuck 'em all!

Chorus:

Fuck 'em all!
Fuck 'em all!
The long and the short and the tall;
Fuck all the Sergeants and W.O.l.'s,
Fuck all the corporals and their bastard sons;
For we're saying goodbye to them all,
As up the C.O.'s arse they crawl;
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean,
So cheer up my lads, fuck 'em all!

We didn't sing that exact song - the first verse was adjusted a bit, but the chorus always remains the same.

I suddenly feel like a few beers.

1 comment:

1735099 said...

This is the only one I can remember singing -

CHEAP CHARLIE is sung to the tune of Nick, Nack, Paddywack, Give the Dog a Bone

Uc-dai-loi, Cheap Charlie,
He no buy me Saigon tea,
Saigon tea costs many many P,
Uc-dai-loi he Cheap Charlie.

Uc-dai-loi, Cheap Charlie,
He no give me MPC,
MPC costs many many P,
Uc-dai-loi he Cheap Charlie.

Uc-dai-loi, Cheap Charlie,
He no go to bed with me,
Bed with me costs many many P,
Uc-dai-loi, he Cheap Charlie.

Uc-dai-loi, Cheap Charlie,
Make me give him one for free,
Mamma-san go crook at me,
Uc-dai-loi, he Cheap Charlie.

Uc-dai-loi, Cheap Charlie,
He give baby-san to me,
Baby-san costs many many P,
Uc-dai-loi, he Cheap Charlie.

Uc-dai-loi, Cheap Charlie,
He go home across the sea,
He leave baby-san with me,
Uc-dai-loi, he Cheap Charlie.