The Army Goes Rolling Along

History

As the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Coast Guard had already adopted official songs, the Army was eager to find a song of its own. In 1948, the Army conducted a contest to find an official song (Tom Lehrer claims to have submitted "It Makes a Fellow Proud to Be a Soldier" in this contest), but no entry received much popular support. In 1952, Secretary of the Army Frank Pace asked the music industry to submit songs and received over 800 submissions. "The Army's Always There" by Sam Stept won the contest, and an Army band performed it at President Dwight D. Eisenhower's inaugural parade on January 20, 1953.

However, many thought that the tune was too similar to "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts," so the Army decided to keep much of the melody from the U.S. Field Artillery March but with new lyrics. A submission of lyrics by Harold W. Arberg, a music advisor to the Adjutant General, was accepted. Secretary of the Army Wilber Marion Brucker dedicated the music on Veterans Day, November 11, 1956. The song is played at the conclusion of most U.S. Army ceremonies, and all soldiers are expected to stand at attention and sing. When more than one service song is played, they are played in the order specified by Department of Defense directive: army, marine corps, navy, air force, and coast guard.

The Army Goes Rolling Along (1956, current official version)

As of 08 May 2013 the verse, the first chorus, and refrain are sung (Per ALARACT 124/2013).

Verse:

March along, sing our song, with the Army of the freeCount the brave, count the true, who have fought to victoryWe're the Army and proud of our nameWe're the Army and proudly proclaim

Verse:

First to fight for the right,And to build the Nation’s might,And The Army Goes Rolling AlongProud of all we have done,Fighting till the battle’s won,And the Army Goes Rolling Along.

Refrain:

Then it's Hi! Hi! Hey!The Army's on its way.Count off the cadence loud and strong (TWO! THREE!)For where e’er we go,You will always knowThat The Army Goes Rolling Along.

Verse:

Valley Forge, Custer's ranks,San Juan Hill and Patton's tanks,And the Army went rolling alongMinutemen, from the start,Always fighting from the heart,And the Army keeps rolling along.(Refrain)

Verse:

Men in rags, men who froze,Still that Army met its foes,And the Army went rolling along.Faith in God, then we're right,And we'll fight with all our might,As the Army keeps rolling along.(Refrain)

Source: U.S. Army Bands information and recordings

In popular culture

The tune was used in 44 movies or television series from 1934 to 2011.

Robert A. Heinlein used the 1908 Caisson Song as the basis for "The Road Song of the Transport Cadets," the official song of the fictional United States Academy of Transport in his 1940 short story "The Roads Must Roll". However, characters in the story refer to the origin as both "Song of the Caissons" and the "field artillery song."

Hasbro used the tune for its G.I. Joe toyline during the 1960s with the words "G.I. Joe...G.I. Joe...fighting man from head to toe...on the land...on the sea...in the air."

It was again used by the toy company for their Army Ant toys in the 80s.

In 1962, the song was parodied in The Jetsons Season 1, Episode 6, "The Good Little Scouts." It was the marching song of Elroy Jetson's space troop.

In 1979, the song was sung by Margaret Houlihan in M*A*S*M*A*S*H Season 7, Episode 16 (titled "The Price") while she was in the shower. It is also partially sung in Season 3 Episode 19 (titled "Aid Station") by Margaret, Hawkeye Pierce and Max Klinger as they arrive back at their unit, M*A*S*H 4077th.

The fight song of North Carolina State University is a sped-up version of the tune. (See NC State Wolfpack.)

The Australian A-League Club Adelaide United FC uses the tune for their club song "United Is Rolling Along."

A version of the song is in the Girls und Panzer Original Soundtrack, under the title "America Yahoutai March."

The Barney & Friends version used "The Rocket Song," which can be found in Barney in Outer Space, and other Barney episodes and videos.