"The Army Goes Rolling Along" - Official Song of the U.S. Army
The song was originally written by field artillery First Lieutenant [later Brigadier General] Edmund L. Gruber, while stationed in the Philippines in 1908 as the "Caisson Song." The original lyrics reflect routine activities in a horse-drawn field artillery battery. The song was transformed into a march by John Philip Sousa in 1917 and renamed "The Field Artillery Song."
It was adopted in 1956 as the official song of the Army and retitled, "The Army Goes Rolling Along." The current lyrics tell the story of our past, our present, and our future.
The "Army Goes Rolling Along" is played at the conclusion of every U.S. Army ceremony and all soldiers are expected to stand and sing. The two selections below can be downloaded and used for this purpose when a U.S. Army band is not available.
Verse: |
March along, sing our song, with the Army of the free.
Count the brave, count the true, who have fought to victory.
We’re the Army and proud of our name!
We’re the Army and proudly proclaim: |
First Chorus: |
First to fight for the right,
And to build the Nation’s might,
And The Army Goes Rolling Along.
Proud 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;
For where’er we go,
You will always know
That The Army Goes Rolling Along. |
Second Chorus: |
Valley Forge, Custer’s ranks,
San Juan Hill and Patton’s tanks,
And the Army went rolling along.
Minute men, from the start,
Always fighting from the heart,
And the Army keeps rolling along. |
Refrain: |
(same as above) |
Third Chorus: |
(slower, more freely)
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: |
Then it’s hi! hi! hey!
The Army’s on its way.
Count off the cadence loud and strong; (two! three!)
For where’er we go,
You will always know
That THE ARMY GOES ROLLING ALONG! (keep it rolling!)
And THE ARMY GOES ROLLING ALONG! |
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