Translate

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

"Chesty Puller Was A Good Marine" (United States Marine Corps Cadence)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post features examples of the Marine Corp cadence "Chesty Puller Was A Good Marine".

Information about Chesty Puller is also included in this post.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/05/chesty-puller-said-before-he-died.html for a pancocojams post that showcases an example of the United States Marine Corp cadence "Chesty Puller Said Before He Died".

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
I'm particularly interested in this Marine Corp cadence because of its social commentary of what is most associated about different Corps ranks.

Thanks to the military corps men and women who honorably serve this country. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and those who are who are featured in this YouTube sound file.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not sure who was the first person to compose this cadence. I'm also not sure when this cadence was first chanted. By featuring this cadence on this blog, I don't mean to imply that it definitely was composed by African Americans.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT CHESTY PULLER
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesty_Puller
"Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller (June 26, 1898 – October 11, 1971) was a retired United States Marine Corps general officer. He is one of the most decorated members of the Marine Corps and is the only Marine to be awarded five Navy Crosses. He fought guerrillas in Haiti and Nicaragua, and participated in some of the bloodiest battles of World War II and the Korean War. Puller retired from the Marine Corps in 1955 and spent the rest of his life living in Virginia…
Puller remains a well-known figure in U.S. Marine Corps folklore, with both true and exaggerated tales of his experiences being constantly recounted among U.S. Marines...

A common incantation in U.S. Marine Corps boot camp is to end one's day with the declaration, "Good night, Chesty Puller, wherever you are!"[16] Another common encouragement is "Chesty Puller never quit!"

In U.S. Marine Corps recruit training and OCS cadences, Marines chant "It was good for Chesty Puller/And it's good enough for me" as well as "Tell Chesty Puller I did my best."—Chesty is symbolic of the esprit de corps of the Marines. Also, the recruits sing "Chesty Puller was a good Marine and a good Marine was he."
-snip-
I've read that Lieutenant General Puller was given the nickname "Chesty" because of his barrel chest and his upright posture.

****
FEATURED EXAMPLES
These examples are posted in no particular order.

Example #1:
From http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?10271-Cadence-time!!!/page7&p=221834#post221834, posted by Quinbo

Marching cadance....

Chesty Puller was a good Marine and a good Marine was He
He called for his pipe and he called for his bowl and he called for his privates 3
Beer Beer Beer said the privates... merry ole men are we
The Army's fair but it can't compare to the Marine Corps Infantry

Chesty Puller was a good Marine and a good Marine was he
He called for his pipe and he called for his bowl and he called for his Corporals 3
Left Right Left said the Corporals
Beer Beer Beer said the privates
Merry ole men are we
The Armys fair but it can't compare to the Marine Corps infantry

Chesty Puller was a good Marine and a good Marine was he
He called for his pipe and he called for his bowl and he called for his Sergeants 3
We do all the work said the Sergeants
Left Right Left said the Corporals
Beer Beer Beer said the privates
Merry ole men are we
The Armys fair but it can't compare to the Marine Corps Infantry

.... Lot more verses but you get the idea

****
Example $2:
From http://www.grose.us/ARCHIVE/cadence/chesty.html

(For Humps)
Chesty Puller was a good Marine and a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his Privates three
Beer beer beer said the Privates; Who the heck are we
But none so fair that we compare to Marine Corps Infantry

Chesty Puller was a good Marine and a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his Corporals three
Push Push Push said the Corporals
Beer Beer Beer said the Privates; Who the heck are we
But none so fair that we compare to Marine Corps Infantry
Chesty Puller was a good Marine and a good Marine was he.

He called for his pipe and he called for his Sergeants three
Left Right Left said the Sergeants
Push Push Push said the Corporals
Beer Beer Beer said the Privates; Who the heck are we
But none so fair that we compare to Marine Corps Infantry
Chesty Puller was a good Marine and a good Marine was he.

He called for his pipe and he called for his Gunnys three
We do all the work said the Gunnies
Left Right Left said the Sergeants
Push Push Push said the Corporals
Beer Beer Beer said the Privates; Who the heck are we
But none so fair that we compare to Marine Corps Infantry

Chesty Puller was a good Marine and a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his Lieutenants three.
Follow me said the Lieutenants
We do all the work said the Gunnies
Left Right Left said the Sergeants
Push Push Push said the Corporals
Beer Beer Beer said the Privates; Who the heck are we
But none so fair that we compare to Marine Corps Infantry

Chesty Puller was a good Marine and a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his Captains three
War War War said the Captains
Follow me said the Lieutenants
We do all the work said the Gunnies
Left Right Left said the Sergeants
Push Push Push said the Corporals
Beer Beer Beer said the Privates; Who the heck are we
But none so fair that we compare to Marine Corps Infantry
-snip-
From https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101209232149AAyTHR5 "Gunny is slang for a Gunnery Sergeant which is a rank in the marines equivalent to a Sergeant First Class in the army"

****
Example #3:
From http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/archive/index.php/t-8686.html

Chesty Puller Was A Good Marine
This is a marching song, not a running cadence.
Its sung to the tune of "Old King Cole was a merry old soul and a merry old soul was he etc"
Chesty Puller

Chesty Puller was a good Marine,
a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his guns
and he called for his Privates three.
Beer! Beer! Beer! Said the Privates.

(Chorus)
The army's fair, but they can't compare to Marine Corps Infantry!

Chesty Puller was a good Marine,
a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his guns
called for his Corporals three.
I need a three day pass said the Corporal
Beer! Beer! Beer! Said the Privates.

(chorus)

Chesty Puller was a good Marine,
a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his guns
called for his Sergeants three.
Left right left said the Sergeant.
I need a three day pass said the Corporal
Beer! Beer! Beer! Said the Privates.

(Chorus)

Chesty Puller was a good Marine,
a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his guns
And he called for his Gunny's three.
That's a crock of **** said the Gunny.
Left right left said the Sergeant.
I need a three day pass said the Corporal
Beer! Beer! Beer! Said the Privates.

(Chorus)

Chesty Puller was a good Marine,
a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his guns
and he called for his Louies three.
We do all the work said the Louie.
That's a crock of **** said the Gunny.
Left right left said the Sergeant.
I need a three day pass said the Corporal
Beer! Beer! Beer! Said the Privates.

Chesty Puller was a good Marine,
a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his guns
and he called for his Captains three.
Who's gonna drive my Jeep? Said the Captain
We do all the work said the Louie.
That's a crock of **** said the Gunny.
Left right left said the Sergeant.
I need a three day pass said the Corporal
Beer! Beer! Beer! Said the Privates.

(Chorus)

Chesty Puller was a good Marine,
a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his guns
and he called for his Majors three.
I need a bigger desk said the major.
Who's gonna drive my jeep? Said the Captain
We do all the work said the Louie.
That's a crock of **** said the Gunny.
Left right left said the Sergeant.
I need a three day pass said the Corporal
Beer! Beer! Beer! Said the Privates.

(Chorus)

Chesty Puller was a good Marine,
a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his guns
and he called for his Colonels three.
When can I play golf? Said the Colonel.
I need a bigger desk said the major.
Who's gonna drive my jeep? Said the Captain.
We do all the work said the Louie.
That's a crock of **** said the Gunny.
Left right left said the Sergeant.
I need a three day pass said the Corporal
Beer! Beer! Beer! Said the Privates.

(Chorus)

Chesty Puller was a good Marine,
a good Marine was he.
He called for his pipe and he called for his guns
and he called for his Generals three.
Keep those Privates straight! Said the Generals
When can I play golf? Said the Colonel.
I need a bigger desk said the major.
Who's gonna drive my jeep? Said the Captain.
We do all the work said the Louie.
That's a crock of **** said the Gunny.
Left right left said the Sergeant.
I need a three day pass said the Corporal
Beer! Beer! Beer! Said the Privates.

(chorus)
(chorus)
-snip-
"Louie" = Lieutenant.
That example included asterisks in place of the curse word for "crap".

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

6 comments:

  1. I have been looking for this last cadence since Marine Corps MCT (Marine Combat Training) 6 years ago. Thank you for posting! Semper Fi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome.

      And thank you for your service in the Marine Corps.

      Delete
  2. We sang this on the force marches, but our's was a little different. It goes: Chesty Puller was a fine old an, and a fine old was he. He called for wife, and he called for his gun, and he called for his privates 3, beer, beer, beer said the privates, who the hell are we. There's none in the world that can compare to Marine Corps infantry...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for sharing that version with us, Mark Brown.

      And thanks for your service.

      Delete
  3. I remember a verse...who's gonna 'f' my wife said the 'officer'...I don't remember it we only sang it 1 or 2 times in boot camp.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for sharing your memory of that verse, Unknown

      If someone adds the words that you forgotten with relatively clean spellings (like you did), then it's all good. Otherwise, since this is a family friendly blog, I may have to delete that completion.

      Delete