Air Force Folk Songs

Published on September 18, 2012

On this date in history in 1947 — 65 years ago today! — in accordance with the passage of the National Security Act of 1947, the US Army Air Forces became an independent service called the United States Air Force.  The transition wasn’t heralded with any large aircraft acquisition or personnel shifts.  No offices were moved at the Pentagon (not at that point anyway).  No bases were closed down or new ones opened.  Yet the change was somehow still the best darn excuse for a party in the history of military aviation!

So get on your party suit, throw on your leather jacket and head down for a few of the hilarious songs from Air Force history.  The beer’s cheap (okay, it’s 3/2, but hey, standard issue) and the CO has allowed the locals on base to help celebrate….

 

Major James Howard, 354th Fighter Group — the only fighter pilot in the ETO to have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, an ace in both theatres of war (and a former Flying Tigers pilot with the AVG).

 

Song #1:  By the Ring Around his Eyeball

By the ring around his eyeball,
You can tell a bombardier.

You can tell a bomber pilot,
By the spread around his rear.

You can tell a navigator,
By his sextants, maps and such.

You can tell a fighter pilot,
BUT YOU CAN’T TELL HIM MUCH!!

 

A pair of full bird colonels, one from the USAF Reserves and the other from the Air National Guard.  Photo Credit:  USAF

Song #2:  Call Out the Goddamned Reserves

In peacetime the regulars are happy,
In peacetime they’re anxious to serve,
But just let their ass get in trouble,
And they call out the goddamned reserves.

Call out, call out,
Call out the goddamned reserves, reserves
Call out, call out,
Call out the goddamned reserves!

In the Big One they fed us kid rations,
In Korea they fed us all Spam,
It all tastes like crap when you eat it,
No matter what they put in the can.

CHORUS

Now here’s to the regular Air Force,
They have such a wonderful plan,
They call out the goddamned reserves,
Whenever the crap hits the fan.

CHORUS

They call out the war with us pilots,
They ask for the drafted young man,
The reserves got sent to Korea,
While the regulars stayed in Japan.

CHORUS

Oh, here’s to the regular Air Force,
With their medals and badges galore,
If it weren’t for the goddamn reservists,
Your ass would be dragged in the ‘core

CHORUS

 

The Martin B-26 Marauder “Shopworn Angel” after a crash landing. Repaired, it was later shot down over Germany. The aircraft was part of the 495th Bomb Squadron “the Silver Streaks” of the 344th Bomb Group.

Song #3:  Glory Flying Regulations

Hap Arnold built a fighting team that sang a fighting song
About the Wild Blue Yonder and the days when men were strong.
But now we’re regulated cause we don’t know right from wrong,
The Force is shot to hell.

Glory flying regulations,
Have them read at all the stations,
Burn the ass of those that breaks them,
The Force is shot to hell.

Once they flew B-26’s through a hail of flak
And bloody dying pilots gave their lives to bring ’em back.
Now they’re playing Ping-Pong in the operations shack,
The Force is shot to hell.

CHORUS

I have seen them in their T-Bolts when their eyes were dancing flame
I have seen their screaming power dives that blasted Goering’s name.
Now they fly like sissies and they hang their heads in shame,
The Force is shot to hell.

CHORUS

Now, one day I buzzed an airfield with another happy chap
We flew a hot formation with my wingtip on his lap,
So they passed a new directive and we’ll have no more of that,
The Force is shot to hell.

CHORUS

So, now mine eyes are dim with tears for happy days of old.
We loved to take our chances for our hearts were young and bold.
From now on we have no choice but live to be quite old,
The Force is shot to hell.

CHORUS

 

Song #4:  Throw a Nickel on the Grass

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Throw a nickel on the grass save a fighter pilot’s ass
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Throw a nickel on the grass and you’ll be safe!

Well, I’m cruising down the Yalu, doing six-and-twenty per
I cried to my flight leader, “Oh, won’t you save me, Sir!
Got two big flak holes in my wings, my engine’s outta gas!
Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Got six MiGs on my ass!”

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Throw a nickel on the grass save a fighter pilot’s ass
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Throw a nickel on the grass and you’ll be safe!

Well, I shot my traffic pattern, to me it looked all right.
The airspeed read one-ninety, I really racked it tight.
The airframe gave a shudder, the engine gave a wheeze.
Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Spin instructions please!

CHORUS

The crosswind blew me sideways, the left wing hit the ground.
I fire walled the throttle, and I tried to go around.
I yanked that Sabre in the air, a dozen feet or more.
The engine quit, I almost shit, the gear came through the floor.

CHORUS

 

Happy 65th Birthday to the USAF!

This story is dedicated to the memory of those who flew their last mission and came up short one landing. There, but for the grace of God….

So here’s a nickel on the grass to you, my friend, and your spirit, enthusiasm, sacrifice and courage — but most of all to your friendship.  Yours is a dying breed and when you are gone, the world will be a lesser place.

 

One More Bit of Aviation History

Humor and flying go hand in hand, whether it is a quick joke, a trick on your copilot, a joke about something that happened or an off-color song down at the club.  Above all, humor is international.  It should come as no surprise that many air forces around the world also have folk songs and jokes that go along with being a member of the force.  In the end, humor — usually with a bit of a cynical edge — remains a constant reminder of the dangers inherent in flying.

A final note:  after all these years, it is amazing to note that the USAF still has a perfect record — they have never yet left one up there!

 

Today’s Aviation Trivia Question

Can anyone post the lyrics of a Luftwaffe song?  A French Air Force song?  A British pilot song?

 

3 thoughts on “Air Force Folk Songs

  1. Bill Critch says:

    Oscar Brand has a CD with these songs and it’s great. Also one from VietNam.
    WW2 is “The Wild Blue Yonder” Oscar Brand and the Roger Wilco Four
    Checkitout, mates

    Reply
  2. Chris Mayer says:

    The only “Luftwaffe” song I know is “Ich bin ein frier Widbretschutz.” It is actually a hunting song. The refrain of “Horrido” was used by hunters to signal finding game — equivalent of the English “Tally-Ho” and the Luftwaffe “Jaeger” (which means “hunter’) used “Horrido” in same way English speaking pilots use “Tally-Ho.”

    Note: In civilian flying in the United States, pilots frequently use, “No Joy” or “Tally-Ho” when asked by ATC to call out other traffic. I am not sure that I would feel real comfortable if I heard someone respond, “Horrido the Skymaster!”

    1. Ich bin ein freier Wildbretschütz und hab ein weit Revier.
    Ich bin ein freier Wildbretschütz und hab ein weit Revier.
    So weit die braune Heide geht, gehört das Jagen mir.
    So weit die braune Heide geht, gehört das Jagen mir.
    Horrido, – horrido, – horrido, horrido, horrido, (hussasa! )
    Horrido, – horrido, – horrido, horrido, horrido, (hussasa! )

    2. So weit der blaue Himmel reicht, gehört mir alle Pirsch
    So weit der blaue Himmel reicht, gehört mir alle Pirsch
    Auf Fuchs und Has und Haselhuhn, auf Rehbock und auf Hirsch.
    Auf Fuchs und Has und Haselhuhn, auf Rehbock und auf Hirsch.
    Horrido, – horrido, – horrido, horrido, horrido, (hussasa! )
    Horrido, – horrido, – horrido, horrido, horrido, (hussasa! )

    3. Doch weiß ich ein feines Mägdelein, auf das ich lieber pirsch.
    Doch weiß ich ein feines Mägdelein, auf das ich lieber pirsch.
    Viel lieber als auf Has und Huhn, auf Rehbock oder Hirsch.
    Viel lieber als auf Has und Huhn, auf Rehbock oder Hirsch.
    Horrido, – horrido, – horrido, horrido, horrido, (hussasa! )
    Horrido, – horrido, – horrido, horrido, horrido, (hussasa! )

    4. Und dass sie einem andern gehört, macht keine Sorge mir.
    Und dass sie einem andern gehört, macht keine Sorge mir.
    Ich bin ein freier Wildbretschütz und hab ein weit Revier.
    Ich bin ein freier Wildbretschütz und hab ein weit Revier.
    Horrido, – horrido, – horrido, horrido, horrido, (hussasa! )
    Horrido, – horrido, – horrido, horrido, horrido, (hussasa! )

    Reply
  3. Dan Vigesaa says:

    Does anyone know where I can get the music for those songs. I would love to sing them in my quartet.

    Reply

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