When you went to boot camp or basic training, did you have a song to rally around?

2019-04-21T22:44:24-04:00

I was a member of the 320 Training Squadron, Flight 681 (August-September 2002) and our rally song that got us through BMT was Bill Withers' "Lean On Me". Helped immensely to get my flight mates and I through. Was curious if there was a song(s) to help get you through. We sang it when we needed to!

Response by SPC Douglas Bolton made Apr 21 at 2019 10:46 PM

2019-04-21T22:46:22-04:00

TSgt Joe C. Just cadence songs. Can't repeat them. LOL

Response by SFC George Smith made Apr 21 at 2019 10:54 PM

2019-04-21T22:54:07-04:00

… A Little Bird With A Yellow Bill Sitting On The Window Sill...
Lured Him In With A Piece Of Bread and then I …..

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2019 11:08 PM

2019-04-21T23:08:00-04:00

TSgt Joe C. On the day we graduated, the band played the Marine Corps hymn. Other than that, we just had cadence lyrics.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Apr 21 at 2019 11:43 PM

2019-04-21T23:43:38-04:00

TSgt Joe C. For several hours every morning, during lunch hour and from 1630 until ?1800 hours, the entirety of Camp San Luis Obispo, CA was inundated with a recording of Stars and Stripes Forever! (1953 BCT and AIT era).

The imprint of that music has somehow managed to be the ‘ringtone’ on my cell phone!

Even now, 66 years later, it catches my attention! Admittedly, when others hear the ‘Stars and Stripes Forever’ playing loudly, they give me a certain look.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Apr 21 at 2019 11:48 PM

2019-04-21T23:48:36-04:00

There was the nighttime serenade of Barnacle Bill the Sailor. Although a lot of draftees, once they started getting an idea what a ship was, it wasn't Kansas anymore. Even the "Join or go to Jail" crowd joined in.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2019 2:22 AM

2019-04-22T02:22:27-04:00

The Air Force sang ‘Lean on Me’ in basic training during times of woe. That’s equal parts unshocking and adorable.

Response by LCDR Joshua Gillespie made Apr 22 at 2019 8:03 AM

2019-04-22T08:03:44-04:00

As I pulled up alongside Worden Field to begin my naval career... "The Sloop John B" was playing on the car stereo... and while it may indeed have been, "the worst ship I've ever been on"... that tune got me through a few tough months to say the least.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Apr 22 at 2019 9:09 AM

2019-04-22T09:09:35-04:00

All I remember are cadence calls,none of which would be appropriate to repeat in genteel society or anything remotely called civilized,but then again we had left that far behind us back in 1965, but damn some of our Cadre were talented with let’s say inventive profanity!

Response by PVT Mark Zehner made Apr 22 at 2019 9:42 AM

2019-04-22T09:42:30-04:00

Hey hey Good bye!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2019 9:46 AM

2019-04-22T09:46:42-04:00

No song, just our Company Motto.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2019 12:50 PM

2019-04-22T12:50:07-04:00

TSgt Joe C. 323rd had a Chant, but was so long ago (1998), I don't remember all of it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2019 12:54 PM

2019-04-22T12:54:40-04:00

When making a video montage of our basic training experience, the cadre used the song "Bodies" by Drowning Pool. It wasn't a song we really rallied around, but rather one that I associate with basic training.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Apr 22 at 2019 2:17 PM

2019-04-22T14:17:41-04:00

Yes.... Soldiers would go to jail for singing such dirty ditties now.

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Apr 22 at 2019 3:37 PM

2019-04-22T15:37:27-04:00

We sang about killing people a lot.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Apr 22 at 2019 6:29 PM

2019-04-22T18:29:37-04:00

I reported to basic training in November 1974 at Fort Leonard Wood and graduated in January 1975 and we were bused to 12B AIT about 2 miles away my friend TSgt Joe C. .
This was in the last days of the Vietnam War and we marched or double-timed to cadence songs.
Most of them were not for mixed company if I remember correctly. Since there were no women in the brigade that wasn't an issue back then :-)
Later when I was assigned to USMAPS in August 1975 we sand cadence as we marched that was respectful since we had women cadet candidates. The following year after I reported to West Point we had a First Class-man who sand songs from the 1950's and led us as we marched and double-timed in Beast Barracks.
One song I do remember as a cadence was Bo Diddley which had many variants, jump school, infantry school, etc. :-)

Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley (bought his babe a diamond ring) 1955
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ehlMdsuwoU

FYI LTC Wayne Brandon LTC Private RallyPoint Member MSgt Robert C Aldi CPT Scott Sharon CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member SMSgt Tom Burns SSG Donald H "Don" Bates SSG Jeffrey Leake Sgt Private RallyPoint Member SGT Randal Groover SGT Rick Colburn SPC Mike Lake PO3 William Hetrick PO3 Lynn Spalding SPC Mark Huddleston Rhonda Hanson SPC Jordan Sutich PO3 Craig Phillips PVT Mark Zehner

Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley (bought his babe a diamond ring) 1955

Bo Diddley bought his babe a diamond ring If that diamond ring don't shine He gonna take it to a private eye If that private eye can't see He'd better not ta...

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Apr 22 at 2019 6:39 PM

2019-04-22T18:39:53-04:00

TAPS! That was my favorite! That bugle reminder: to go to sleep. TSgt Joe C.

Response by SCPO Morris Ramsey made Apr 22 at 2019 6:53 PM

2019-04-22T18:53:12-04:00

I do not recall any songs that helped to gets us “through”. Just a reminder I was in Navy Boot Camp at San Diego. I was a farm boy who volunteered. Every day in the Navy was like Sunday on the Farm and Every meal was like a Fourth of July Picnic. Now the guys across the fence at MCRD San Diego had it a little tougher.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2019 7:16 PM

2019-04-22T19:16:02-04:00

When I did BCT at Ft. Jackson in 69 we had cadence songs that were both obscene and vulgar but we were a lusty bunch of trainees and followed our DS no matter what the words were. Some of them were pretty raw but it pulled us Regulars and the Draftees together as one cohesive unit.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Apr 22 at 2019 7:39 PM

2019-04-22T19:39:45-04:00

TSgt Joe C. I Don't remember any Songs. Probably some Cadence if I heard I'd remember but being Our C/C was Pretty Religious I don't imagine it was Terribly Foul. I do Remember Out Motto "Co 443 Push Up Position Hut" and whenever we came up on a Female Company CTRC Zetterholm would have us Drop and just start Pumping them Out for the Ladies. LOL!

Response by PO3 Lynn Spalding made Apr 22 at 2019 10:43 PM

2019-04-22T22:43:27-04:00

Lean On Me is the song I remember from boot camp Great Lakes July-August 72.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2019 6:03 PM

2019-04-23T18:03:27-04:00

Ours was "I'll Make A Man Out of You" from Disney's Milan. A Co, 2-19, class 13-03.

Response by CPO George Taylor made Dec 21 at 2020 4:21 PM

2020-12-21T16:21:30-05:00

Company song which we created ourselves.