Looked it up and here are the boring details. Parodies of Sousa’s lyrics of 1896 started showing up in the ‘30s on college campuses and in the ’40s at USO performances. First recording I found of Arlo’s particular version was by Mitch Miller in the ’50s. It of course was a regular feature on Sing Along With Mitch.
One interesting tidbit, according to an article in Wikipedia: "In show business, particularly theater and the circus, this piece is called “the Disaster March”. It is a traditional code signaling a life-threatening emergency. This helps theater personnel to handle events and organize the audience’s exit without panic."
If you feel like hearing some modern marches, enter “John Bosserman marches” into a search engine. He didn’t begin writing marches until his late sixties or seventies. He has also led an interesting life: http://www.soundsofsousa.com/reading-band—-composer-john-bosserman
It’s actually the music of “Star and Stripes Forever”. I had the Mitch Miller album it was on as a kid and played it til the track was wrecked. It repeated the chorus ending in “Well it isn’t” a few times and then “You may think that this is the end, well it IS!”
Never give up! Never surrender! https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=never+give+up+never+surrender&view=detail&mid=41C37C230EE174988D6D41C37C230EE174988D6D&FORM=VIRE
What song is the national anthem based on?Although Francis Scott Key penned the words in 1814 during the War of 1812, the melody is actually much older. It’s based off an 18th-century British pub song called “To Anacreon in Heaven.” That’s right: a song to be sung whilst drunk.
Two of my horrors of Saturday night TV with my parents as a preteen was to have to watch Sing A Long With Mitch, and some other show where the host had an accent and at the end we had to watch Bobby and some girl dance! I remember that “an a 1 an a 2….”
As a member of our school band, I went and saw the Marine Band almost every year. They played Stars and Stripes forever, and a lot of the John Phillips Sousa’s marches. There are a LOT of them!
As a little kid, my mother sang this to me, and I thought those were the actual lyrics until later in life but it was too late to get them UN-stuck in my mind. Throughout all that time, I thought what an odd way it was to end the song.
I think it was the Tennessee Ernie Ford show where they sang that a lot. But they sang the 2nd line “Be kind to your friend in the swamp, He’s a dilly, through and through.”
SpacedInvader Premium Member almost 2 years ago
As sung by a true grill pro.
wjones almost 2 years ago
The last verse, and it is.
Da'Dad almost 2 years ago
Looked it up and here are the boring details. Parodies of Sousa’s lyrics of 1896 started showing up in the ‘30s on college campuses and in the ’40s at USO performances. First recording I found of Arlo’s particular version was by Mitch Miller in the ’50s. It of course was a regular feature on Sing Along With Mitch.
One interesting tidbit, according to an article in Wikipedia: "In show business, particularly theater and the circus, this piece is called “the Disaster March”. It is a traditional code signaling a life-threatening emergency. This helps theater personnel to handle events and organize the audience’s exit without panic."
C almost 2 years ago
Wait until a flying rat takes wing with your dinner
Sephten almost 2 years ago
Well, thank goodness it wasn’t the lyrics to Blaze Away that most of us know.
trainnut1956 almost 2 years ago
Don’t step on ants. Those ants maybe somebody’s uncle.
John Smith almost 2 years ago
Ok…. Hmmmm ……. Anyone rather talk about women’s under garments some more?
Dr_Fogg almost 2 years ago
and now it’s stuck in my head! Aaarg!
NCGalFromNJ almost 2 years ago
My dad used to sing that song to us sooo many years ago.
jarvisloop almost 2 years ago
If you feel like hearing some modern marches, enter “John Bosserman marches” into a search engine. He didn’t begin writing marches until his late sixties or seventies. He has also led an interesting life: http://www.soundsofsousa.com/reading-band—-composer-john-bosserman
formathe almost 2 years ago
60 years of manning the BBQ and never once have I ever used a thermometer. How did I live this long eating food that was not pierced by a meat prong?
jmarkow11 almost 2 years ago
It’s actually the music of “Star and Stripes Forever”. I had the Mitch Miller album it was on as a kid and played it til the track was wrecked. It repeated the chorus ending in “Well it isn’t” a few times and then “You may think that this is the end, well it IS!”
flatempest almost 2 years ago
I remember singing that as a kid.
jmarkow11 almost 2 years ago
https://youtu.be/u4qFP8WjWK4
ScullyUFO almost 2 years ago
Further trivia: Sousa wrote this AFTER his stint as Marine Band Leader, and did not compose it while on American land.
Tyge Premium Member almost 2 years ago
Salute to you Jimmy J on this glorious Independence Day weekend! 8^ )
carlosrivers almost 2 years ago
Is Arlo saying my mother was a DUCK?
joefearsnothing almost 2 years ago
Yes it is! ;o}
MuddyUSA Premium Member almost 2 years ago
The good ole American hot dog!
jmarkow11 almost 2 years ago
The music is Stars and Stripes Forever
kimarcy1 almost 2 years ago
Never give up! Never surrender! https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=never+give+up+never+surrender&view=detail&mid=41C37C230EE174988D6D41C37C230EE174988D6D&FORM=VIRE
shorzy almost 2 years ago
What song is the national anthem based on?Although Francis Scott Key penned the words in 1814 during the War of 1812, the melody is actually much older. It’s based off an 18th-century British pub song called “To Anacreon in Heaven.” That’s right: a song to be sung whilst drunk.
raybarb44 almost 2 years ago
Tell that to the remnants of the Lemurian Civilization…..
Raven OKeefe Premium Member almost 2 years ago
okay, who else had to sing along with this as you read it? ;-)
RonaldDad Premium Member almost 2 years ago
Hah. Jimmy got everyone to look up the lyrics.
Bambihunter6 almost 2 years ago
Sing Along With Mitch. Nothing scholarly. It was just fun. Lots of people do not understand the concept of Fun.
Budman 2 almost 2 years ago
Thanks a lot ! That song will be in my head ALL Day !
Searcy9320 almost 2 years ago
Two of my horrors of Saturday night TV with my parents as a preteen was to have to watch Sing A Long With Mitch, and some other show where the host had an accent and at the end we had to watch Bobby and some girl dance! I remember that “an a 1 an a 2….”
CynthiaLeigh almost 2 years ago
Swamp and damp don’t rhyme.
snowedin, now known as Missy's mom Premium Member almost 2 years ago
As a member of our school band, I went and saw the Marine Band almost every year. They played Stars and Stripes forever, and a lot of the John Phillips Sousa’s marches. There are a LOT of them!
Teto85 Premium Member almost 2 years ago
Be kind to your web-footed friendsFor that duck may be somebody’s mother,She lives in a nest in a swampWhere the weather is always damp.
You may think that this is the end,Well it is, but to prove we’re all liars,We’re going to sing it again,Only this time we’ll sing a little higher.
locake almost 2 years ago
Is that some song Arlo is singing? I’ve never hear of it and I was born in the 50’s.
Tom_Tildrum almost 2 years ago
I associate those lyrics with the Pogo comic strip.
Bill D. Kat Premium Member almost 2 years ago
As a little kid, my mother sang this to me, and I thought those were the actual lyrics until later in life but it was too late to get them UN-stuck in my mind. Throughout all that time, I thought what an odd way it was to end the song.
gcarlson almost 2 years ago
“Hurrah for the flag of the free;
Let it wave as our standard forever;
Tthe gem of the land and the sea,
Bright banner proud and true!
Let despots remember the day
When our fathers with mighty endeavor
Proclaimed as they marched to the fray
That by their might, that my their right it waves forever.”
cknoblo Premium Member almost 2 years ago
I think it was the Tennessee Ernie Ford show where they sang that a lot. But they sang the 2nd line “Be kind to your friend in the swamp, He’s a dilly, through and through.”
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] almost 2 years ago
The Red Menace hasn’t won though they have not stopped yet.
KEA almost 2 years ago
Remember Mitch Miller ending his TV show with this.
mcnutt almost 2 years ago
No, it’s NOT over. The Republic will survive, and prosper.