From the 1942 musical “This is the Army”
Words and music by Irving Berlin
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
A bunch of frightened rookies
Were list’ning filled with awe
They listened while a sergeant
Was laying down the law
They stood there at attention
Their faces turning red
The sergeant looked them over
And this is what he said
Chorus
This is the army, Mister Jones
No private rooms or telephones
You had your breakfast in bed before
But you won’t have it there any more
This is the army, Mister Green
We like the barracks nice and clean
You had a housemaid to clean your floor
But she won’t help you out any more
Do what the buglers command
They’re in the army and not in a band
This is the army, Mister Brown
You and your baby went to town
She had you worried, but this is war
And she won’t worry you anymore
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: