Cadences are used throughout the year during parades and other events to motivate Cadets and keep them in step. For each cadence, the platoon repeats each phrase (each line) after it is called by the commander.
Captain Jack
Hey, hey Captain Jack
Meet me down by the railroad track
With that suitcase in my hand
I’m gonna be a travelin’ man
A travelin’ man
The best I can
For Uncle Sam
Hey, hey Captain Jack
Meet me down by the railroad track
With that Bible in my hand
I’m gonna be a preachin’ man
A preachin’ man
A travelin’ man
The best I can
For Uncle Sam
Hey, hey Captain Jack
Meet me down by the railroad track
With that pencil in my hand
I’m gonna be a writin’ man
A writin’ man
A preachin’ man
A travelin’ man
The best I can
For Uncle Sam
Hey, hey Captain Jack
Meet me down by the railroad track
With that book in my hand
I’m gonna be a studyin’ man
A studyin’ man
A writin’ man
A preachin’ man
A travelin’ man
The best I can
For Uncle Sam
Alternative verses:
... With that book in my hand/ I'm gonna be a readin' man
... With that Bible in my hand/ I'm gonna be a prayin' man
At the end of each verse, commander may also add "Re-up, you're crazy/ Re-up, you're outta your mind"
Down by the River Cadence (Platoon repeats after each line, except where indicated by the italics)
Down by the river,
We took a little walk
Ran into ______ (use platoon/ company--ex. 'Alpha')
And had a little talk
We didn't like their attitude
Or the way they walked
We pushed them
Hey!
We shoved them
Hey!
We threw them in the river
And laughed as they drowned
‘Cause we don’t need _______
Hangin’, hangin’, hangin’ around
Hey, don’t be a fool
Hey, Hey!
Somebody said we were number two
We’re not!
We’re number one
GO ARMY! (can also use school name, etc)
Here We Go Again
Here we go again
Same old stuff again
Marching down the avenue
Six more weeks and we’ll be through
I’ll be glad and so will you
I won’t have to look at you
You won’t have to look at me
Am I right or wrong?
You’re right!
Are we weak or strong?
We’re strong!
Sound off
1, 2
Sound off
3, 4
I Left My Home
Your mother was home when you left
Your right!
Your father was home when you left
Your right!
Your sister was home when you left
Your right!
Your brother was home when you left
Your right!
Your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, your cat, your dog, your fish were there when you left
Your right!
And that’s the reason you left
Your right!
I left my home
To join the Army
The day I left
My Momma cried
Oowie oowie
She thought that I
Would surely die
I left my spouse
Standing at the door
She thought that I
Would die at war
Oowie oowie
Oowie oowie
I left my son
Playin’ in the yard
To see his Daddy leave
Made him cry so hard
Oowie oowie
Oowie oowie
That day I left
I shook my Daddy’s hand
He said that I
Would be coming home
Oowie oowie
Oowie oowie
Let Them Blow
Let ‘em blow, let ‘em blow
Let the four winds blow
From the east to the west
The U.S. Army is the best
Let ‘em fly, let ‘em fly
Let the Air Force fly
From the east to the west
The U.S. Air Force is the best
The U.S. Army is the best
Let ‘em sail, let ‘em sail
Let the Navy sail
From the east to the west,
The U.S. Navy is the best
The U.S. Air Force is the best
The U.S. 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
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
Johnny (Lowrider) Cadence
Mama told Johnny not to go downtown
Too many Army recruiters around
But Johnny didn’t listen and he went anyway
Shipped off to basic the very next day
Lowrider, lowrider, lowrider, low
Lowrider, lowrider, lowrider, low
Johnny had a girl and her name was Carrie
She was so happy ‘cause they planned to marry
But Johnny wanted to live the life of danger
And wear the black beret of an airborne ranger
Lowrider, lowrider, lowrider, low
Lowrider, lowrider, lowrider, low
Momma, Momma Can't You See
Momma, momma, can’t you see
what the Army’s done to me
Momma, momma, can’t you see
what the Army’s done to me
They took away my faded jeans
Now I’m wearing Army greens
They took away my faded jeans
Now I’m wearing Army greens
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, I gotta go
Whoa, no place to go
Momma, momma, can’t you see
what the Army’s done to me
Momma, momma, can’t you see
what the Army’s done to me
They put me in a barber’s chair
I turned around, I had no hair
They put me in a barber’s chair
I turned around, I had no hair
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, I gotta go
Whoa, no place to go
Momma, momma, can’t you see
what the Army’s done to me
Momma, momma, can’t you see
what the Army’s done to me
I used to drive a Cadillac
Now I hump it on my back
I used to drive a Cadillac
Now I hump it on my back
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, I gotta go
Whoa, no place to go
Momma, momma, can’t you see
what the Army’s done to me
Momma, momma, can’t you see
what the Army’s done to me
I used to date a beauty queen
Now I date my M-16
I used to date a beauty queen
Now I date my M-16
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, I gotta go
Whoa, no place to go
Momma, momma, can’t you see
what the Army’s done to me
Momma, momma, can’t you see
what the Army’s done to me
I used to drive a Cadillac
Now I pack it on my back
I used to drive a Cadillac
Now I pack it on my back
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, I gotta go
Whoa, no place to go
Momma, momma, can’t you see
what the Army’s done to me
Momma, momma, can’t you see
what the Army’s done to me
They Say That in the Army…
They say that in the Army, the chow is mighty fine
A chicken jumped off the table and started marking time
Oh Lord I want to go home
But they won’t let me go home
They say that in the Army, the coffee’s mighty fine
It looks like muddy water and tastes like turpentine
Oh Lord I want to go home
But they won’t let me go home
They say that in the Army, the shoes are mighty fine
You ask for size eleven, and they give you size nine
Oh Lord I want to go home
But they won’t let me go home
They say that in the Army, the beds are mighty fine
But how would I ever know, I’ve never slept in mine
Oh Lord I want to go home
But they won’t let me go home
They say that in the Army, the mail is really great
Today I got a letter, it was dated ‘48
Oh Lord I want to go home
But they won’t let me go home
They say that in the Army, the tents are waterproof
You wake up in the morning and you’re floating on the roof
Oh Lord I want to go home
But they won’t let me go home
They say that in the Army, the pay is mighty fine
Give you one hundred dollars and take back ninety-nine
Oh Lord I want to go home
But they won’t let me go home
Yellow Ribbon
Around her hair, she wore a yellow ribbon
She wore it in the springtime, in the early month of May
And if you asked her why did she wear it
She wore it for her soldier who was far, far away
Around the block, she pushed a baby carriage
She pushed it in the springtime, in the early month of May
And if you asked her why did she push it
She pushed it for her soldier who was far, far away
Count to Five
1, 2, 3, 4
You can’t count to 5
1, 2, 3, 4
‘Cause your brain is fried