The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #2915   Message #2085062
Posted By: EuGene
23-Jun-07 - 04:29 PM
Thread Name: Military Jodies?
Subject: RE: Military Jodies?
Man, do I ever remember those old cadence calls we used to do, all of which I think were meant to put psychological pressure on the troops so they would soften up and the Drill Instructors could "mold 'em" into what the Army thought they should be. Those downright mean old Jody calls actually had some of the guys crying in their bunks at night and others mad and ready to go home and open a can of "Whoop ass" on some as yet unknown dude who was cuckolding them while they were away!

Some times there were additional verses added by the most creative DI's, but here's the most common ones we marched to. (The DI gave the calls and the soldiers yelled the capitalized chorus parts):

Your pants pulled up, your belt's pulled tight,
Your balls are swingin from left to right.

Them nuts ain't got a thing to do,
'Cause 4F Jody's took over for you.

(cadence chorus)
Gimme a one (ONE!) Gimme a two (TWO!) Gimme a three (THREE!) Gimme a four (FOUR!)
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR! Bring it on down! ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, ONE, TWO . . . THREEFOUR!

You're in the Army now to stay,
While Jody's back at home today.

Be a while 'till you get back,
So Jody's drivin your Cadillac.

(cadence chorus)

I don't know but it's been said,
Ole jody's got your gal in bed.

Don't feel sad and don't feel blue,
'Cause Jody's got your sister too.

(cadence chorus)

For those who never faced the draft, Jody's designation as 4F meant that he was one who had been determined to be unfit for military service . . . often that meant he was in perfect mental and physical condition and the son of someone with political pull!

Also, those song about "See the girl dressed in red", "...black", "...green", etc. were often sung when we were riding in the back of a truck ("deuce-and-a-half" or 2 1/2 ton truck) going out into the field for training. They were usually sang two liner at a time with a chorus in between:

See the girl dressed in red,
Makes her livin' in her bed.

Hey, Lolly, Lolly, Lolly,
Hey, Lolly, Lolly, Low.
Hey, Lolly, Lolly, Lolly,
Hey, girl, I love you so.

(next two liner)

Instead of that "Woody Guthrie" chorus above, there was also an alternate nonsense chorus that was sometimes sung:

Oh, wrap your root around a tree,
'round a tree,
Oh, wrap your root around a tree.

Guess us soldiers didn't have much else to do for entertainment.

Eu