A song from “The West Point Story”, 1950.
Words by Sammy Cahn.
Music by Jule Styne.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
Put your arms around her shoulder
When the order’s “Shoulder arms”
Take a full firm grip of
The Lady and her charms
If her heart is your objective
You can win it right away
When they play “The Military Polka”
To the right flank is the order
And the dancers gaily twirl
Then it’s “Left ’bout face”
So you face your neighbor’s girl
But you turn back attention
Love’s the order of the day
When they play “The Military Polka”
See those Military men in line
See their uniforms
Their buttons all a-shine
It’s amazing how erect they stand
And your heart begins to beat
Begins to beat, to beat the band
And the band’s terrific
It’s positively great
When they play for marching
Or when they syncopate
Get set, fall in
They’re all set to begin
See the dancers marching forward
Straight across the ballroom floor
If he steals a kiss
All is fair in love and war
From now on there’s no retreating
‘Cause you fall in love to stay
When they play The Military Polka