Top 10 Army Marching Cadences - Citizen Soldier Resource Center (2024)

In the Army, we typically sing a cadence, or “work song” while we march or run. These songs require no instruments but are rather sung to a beat and rhythm determined by the work being done. Their purpose is to keep Soldiers moving in step and dressed right all while maintaining the correct pace (either “quick-time” for marching or “double time” for running).

Military cadence is a traditional call that is used as a song during running and marching formations. Cadences are used to instill teamwork, build camaraderie and to boost the morale of a unit. Cadence commands such as “left foot, right foot” keep the platoon synchronized while in a running formation. However, there is more to cadence than to just stay instep. Military cadence is also used to motivate and inspire military personnel to push through fatigue. ~ NPS

Regardless of their purpose, leaders understand that cadences provide motivation, instill teamwork and ultimately make our movement seem more teamwork and ultimately make our movement seem more military like. Here are my Top 10 Army Marching Cadences.

10. They Say that in the Army

They say that in the Army the coffee’s mighty fine
It looks like muddy water and tastes like turpentine
Chorus:
Oh Lord, I wanna go
But they won’t let me go
Oh Lord, I wanna go hoo-hoo-hoooome EH!

They say that in the Army the chow is mighty fine
a chicken jumped off the table and started marking time
Chorus:
Oh Lord, I wanna go
But they won’t let me go
Oh Lord, I wanna go hoo-hoo-hoooome EH!

They say that in the Army the biscuits are mighty fine
one rolled off the table and killed a friend of mine
Chorus:
Oh Lord, I wanna go
But they won’t let me go
Oh Lord, I wanna go hoo-hoo-hoooome EH!

They say that in the Army the training’s might fine
last night there were ten of us, now there’s only nine
Chorus:
Oh Lord, I wanna go
But they won’t let me go
Oh Lord, I wanna go hoo-hoo-hoooome EH!

They say that in the Army the pay is mighty fine
they give you a hundred dollars and take back ninety-nine
Chorus:
Oh Lord, I wanna go
But they won’t let me go
Oh Lord, I wanna go hoo-hoo-hoooome EH

9. We are Marching By

Let ’em blow let ’em blow
Let the four winds blow
Let ’em blow from east to west
The US Army is the best

Standing tall and looking good
Ought to march in Hollywood

Hold your head and hold it high
___ Platoon is marching by

Close your eyes and hang your head
We are marching by the dead

Look to your right and whadta see?
A whole bunch of legs looking at me

Dress it right and cover down
Forty inches all around

Nine to the front, six to the rear
That’s the way we do it here

8. Tiny Bubbles

Tiny bubbles
In my beer
Makes me happy
And full of cheer

Tiny bubbles
In my wine
Makes me happy
All the time

7. Party Hardy

We are ____ platoon
and we like to party
party hardy
party hardy all night long

Your left, your left, your left, right, get on down
Your left, your left, your left, right, get on down
Now drop, and beat your face
___ platoon’s gonna rock this place
Boom, check it out, check it out
Boom, check it out, check it out

My rifle, my rucksack, my bayonet, now get on down
My rifle, my rucksack, my bayonet, now get on down
Say one, twwwoooo,
three, four, one, two…THREE FOUR!

6. Momma Momma I

Mama mama can’t you see,
what the army’s done to me.

They put me in a barber’s chair,
spun me around I had no hair.

Mama mama can’t you see,
what the army’s done to me.

They took away my favorite jeans,
now I’m wearing army greens.

Mama mama can’t you see,
what the army’s done to me.

I use to date beauty queens,
now I love my M16.

Mama mama can’t you see,
what the army’s done to me.

I use to drive a Cadillac,
now I carry one on my back.

5. YELLOW RIBBON

Around her hair she wore a yellow ribbon
She wore it in the spring time, in the early month of May
And if you asked her why the heck she wore it
She’d say she wore it for her soldier who was far, far away
Far away
Far away
She wore it for her soldier who was far, far away
Around the block she pushed a baby carriage
She pushed it in the spring time, in the early month of May
And if you asked her why the heck she pushed it
She’d say she pushed it for her soldier who was far, far away
Far away
Far away
She pushed it for her soldier who was far, far away
Behind the door, her father kept a shotgun
She kept it in the spring time, in the early month of May
And if you asked her why the heck she kept it
She’d say she kept it for her soldier who was far, far away
Far away
Far away

4. Join the Army

I don’t know why I left
But I must’ve done wrong
Refrain:
And it won’t be long
‘Till I get on back home
Got a letter in the mail
Go to war or go to jail
Sat me in that barber’s chair
Spun me around, I had no hair
Used to drive a Cadillac
Now I pack it on my back
Used to drive a limousine
Now I’m wearing Army green
Dress it right and cover down
Forty inches all around
Nine to the front and six to the rear
That’s the way we do it here
Used to date a beauty queen
Now I date my M-16
Ain’t no use in lookin’ down
Ain’t no discharge on the ground
Ain’t no use in going back
Jody’s got your Cadillac
Ain’t no use in calling home
Jody’s got your girl and gone
Ain’t no use in feeling blue
Jody’s got your sister too
Took away my faded jeans
Now I’m wearing Army greens
They took away my gin and rum
Now I’m up before the sun
Mama Mama can’t you see
What this Army’s done for me
Mama Mama can’t you see
This Army life is killing me

3. They Say that In the Army

They say that in the Army, the chicken’s mighty fine
One jumped off the table and started marking time

Refrain:
Oh, Lord I wanna go
But they won’t let me go
(group ends this line with home,
stretched out over 8 paces, and a “Hey” on the right foot
to end the refrain)

They say that in the Army, the pay is mighty fine
They give you a hundred dollars and take back ninety-nine

They say that in the Army, the coffee’s mighty fine
It looks like muddy water, and tastes like turpentine

They say that in the Army, the biscuits are mighty fine
One rolled off the table and killed a friend of mine

They say that in the Army, the meat is mighty fine
Last night we had ten puppies, this morning only nine

They say that in the Army, the shoes are mighty fine
You ask for size eleven, they give you size nine

They say that in the Army, the pancakes are mighty fine
You can try to chew them, but you’re only wasting time

They say that in the Army, the bed’s are mighty fine
But how the hell would I know, I’ve never slept in mine

2. High Ho Lock and Load

High Ho Lock and Load
The Engines are running were ready to go
We’ll kill the enemy and steal there soul
So early, so early so early in the mornin

The Abrams are on the hill
They’re locked and loaded and ready to kill
kill, kill I know they will
So early, so early so early in the mornin

The Bradleys are creepin slow
Machine guns ready so is the tow
They’ll kill the enemy and steal their soul
So early, so early so early in the mornin

The Apachees are flyin low
Hellfires missles are ready to go
They’ll kill the enemy and burn their soul
So early, so early so early in the mornin

Paratroopers in the sky
all will jump but one will die
They’ll kill the enemy and eat their soul
So early, so early so early in the mornin

Gas comes across the net
You put on your mask and start to sweat
You pray to god its just a test
So early, so early so early in the mornin

Snipers are on the hill
they locked and loaded and ready to kill
One shot one kill
They’ll kill the enemy and burn their soul
So early, so early so early in the mornin

Punishers are on the hill
You better watch out I train them to kill
Kill, Kill I know you will
So early, so early so early in the morning

1. I’m a Steam Roller Baby

I’m a steam roller baby,
and I’m rollin down the line (x2)

So ya better get outta my way now, before I roll all over you

I’m a dump truck baby,
and I’m dumpin down the line (x2)

So ya better get outta my way now, before I dump all over you

I’m a jackhammer baby,
and I’m jackin down the line (x2)

So ya better get outta my way now, before I jack all over you

I’m a steam roller baby, I’m a dump truck baby, I’m a jack hammer baby, and I’m rolling down the line, and I’m dumpin down the line, and I’m jackin down the line

So you’d better get outta my way now, why don’t you please get outta my way now, before I roll all over you, before I dump all over you, before I jack all over you!

Requiring no instruments to play, they are counterparts in oral military folklore of the military march. As a sort of work song, military cadences take their rhythms from the work being done (compare sea shanty). Many cadences have a call and response structure in which one soldier initiates a line, and the remaining soldiers complete it, thus instilling teamwork and camaraderie for completion. The cadence calls move to the beat and rhythm of the normal speed (quick time) march or running-in-formation (double time) march. This serves the purpose of keeping soldiers “dressed”, moving in step as a unit and in formation, while maintaining the correct beat or cadence. ~ Wikipedia

FINAL THOUGHTS: What are some of your favorite Army cadences? Share your favorites in the comment area below. Thank you.