United States Army Examples Of The "Four Winds" Cadence (also known as "Let The Four Winds Blow" & "Let 'Em Blow. Let 'Em Blow")

Tim Dunnigan- Topic, Oct. 16, 2015

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of  a three part pancocojams series that presents examples of the United States military cadence entitled "Four Winds" (also known as  "Let The Four Winds Blow" and "Let 'Em Blow. Let 'Em Blow".

This post presents information about the 1955 New Orleans Rhythm & Blues song "Let The Four Winds Blow" that is the source of these United States military cadences.

Part I also showcases an embedded sound file of a United States army version of that "Four Winds" cadence as well as my transcription of that sound file. This post also provides links to three YouTube videos that feature other army versions of that cadence.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/11/let-em-blow-let-em-blow-navy-cadence.html 

for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II presents information about the 1955 New Orleans Rhythm & Blues song "Let The Four Winds Blow" that is the source of these military cadence. Part II also showcases a United States navy version of that cadence along with the lyrics which the  video's publisher shared for that version. Selected comments from that video's discussion thread are also included in that post.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/11/let-em-blow-let-em-blow-united-states.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. Part III showcases another sound file of "Let 'Em Blow Let Em Blow" and presents my transcription of that version. Part III also presents two other (words only) versions of that cadence from other United States military forces besides the U.S. army and the U.S. navy. 
 

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The content of this post is presented for folkloric and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Dave Bartholomew and Fats Domino for composing the source song for these United States military cadences. Thanks to all those who composed these cadences and thanks to all those who serve honorably in the United States armed services. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to all the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

Happy Veteran's Day!

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW ORLEANS R&B SONG "LET THE FOUR WINDS BLOW"

From  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfjI8BXi8cI&ab_channel=the45prof

1st RECORDING OF: Let The Four Winds Blow (as 'Four Winds') - Dave Bartholomew (1955)

the45prof, Jul 8, 2019

"Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bartholomew was an influential New Orleans-based musician, bandleader, arranger, record producer, and co-writer with Fats Domino of some 40 song hits. Dave’s version of this tune didn’t create a stir in 1955, but it would provide hit material for both Roy Brown in 1957and Fats Domino in 1961. 

The original single was issued on Imperial 5350 - Four Winds (Bartholomew-Domino) by Dave Bartholomew, recorded March 15, 1955 "

-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVwFpdvls60&ab_channel=JazzEveryday%21 for a sound file of "Let The Four Winds Blow" performed by Fats Domino.  

Here's an excerpt about Fats Domino's recording of "Let The Four Winds Blow" from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ6Ny4VCSpM&ab_channel=OfficialFATSDominoFANSITE
… "After "Walking To New Orleans"'(6) and "My Girl Josephine"(14), this was his biggest smash in the 60's.

Entering the POP-charts on July 24, 1961, it peaked at POS. 15 ("Three Nights A Week"and equalled that POS. but the b-side spent a week less). "Blow" spent 11 weeks on the charts, making it his very last TOP-20 hit.

On the R&B-charts things went even better. It debuted on July 31, 1961 and reached POS. 2(!), making it his very last blockbuster on that chart. It stayed 12 weeks on the charts."
-snip-
Both Dave Bartholomew (December 24, 1918 – June 23, 2019) and Fats Domino (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017) were African American.
-snip-
Click https://genius.com/Fats-domino-let-the-four-winds-blow-lyrics for the lyrics to the song "Let The Four Winds Blow".  Here's the "let the four winds blow" verse that is found several times in that R&B song:

"Let the four winds blow
Let 'em blow let 'em blow
From the east to the west
I'll love you the best"
-snip-

Notice that very similar verses are found in "Four Winds" military cadences.

Also, read my comment below for a similar verse that is found in a university stomp and shake cheerleading cheer. It's more likely that that cheer has its source in these "Four Wind"  military cadences, but those cadences ultimately can be sourced to the 1955 "Let The Four Winds Blow" R&B song.  

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LYRICS FOR THE EMBEDDED VIDEO'S VERSION OF THE U.S. ARMY CADENCE  "FOUR WINDS"

(The troop repeats each line that is sung by the leader.)

Let the four winds blow
Let ‘em blow. Let ‘em blow
From the East to the West
U.S. army is the best.

Dress it right and cover down
Forty inches all around
Dress it right and cover down
Forty inches all around

Oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, oh yeah
From the East to the West
U.S. army is the best.

There ain’t no use in lookin down
There ain’t no discharge on the ground
There ain’t no use in lookin down
There ain’t no discharge on the ground

Oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, oh yeah
From the East to the West
U.S. army is the best.

I used to date a beauty queen
Now I carry an M16
I used to date a beauty queen
Now I carry an M16

Oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, oh yeah
From the East to the West
Ah, U.S. army you’re the best.

-snip-
This is my transcription of this video. 

A shortened (words only) form of this version of “Four Winds” army cadence can be found on

https://www.armystudyguide.com/content/cadence/marching_cadence/four-winds.shtml [title "Four Winds".] 
-snip-
The leader's voice in this embedded sound file "sounds" Country-Western to me.

Compare that Country-Western sound to the soulful sounds especially to the leader in the video whose link is given as #2 below and the video that is showcased in Part #2 of this pancocojams series. 

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THREE OTHER LINKS TO YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF ARMY VERSIONS OF THIS CADENCE

[Given without transcriptions]

1. Let 'em Blow, Let 'em Blow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZa7_FF8KW8&ab_channel=U.S.DrillSergeantFieldRecordings-Topic

 U.S. Drill Sergeant Field Recordings – Topic, Jul 11, 2014

Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises

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2. Thanksgiving Cadence Charlie Rocks Style

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-hqiIbPx64&ab_channel=CCo.262ndQMBNCHARLIEROCKS

C Co. 262nd QM BN CHARLIE ROCKS, Nov 24, 2016

Charlie Company 262nd QM BN was steppin' it up Charlie Style with Cadence in celebration of Thanksgiving Day.

-snip- 

This video features a number of cadences.  1:15-2:45 - features a version of “Let The Four Winds Blow"

This entire video is also featured in this YouTube compilation: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHs6XQfgLp8&ab_channel=-Drakeypants- 

Top 5 best army cadences [The publisher wrote in the "Let em Blow" Army Cadence discussion thread that this was his favorite army cadence.

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3. Let em blow Army cadence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJs9vc3Ya54&ab_channel=Jay.S

Jay.S, Jul 29, 2016

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This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

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