“The Army Goes Rolling Along”

Intro: March along, sing our song, with the Army of the free
Count the brave, count the true, who have fought to victory
We’re the Army and proud of our name
We’re the Army and proudly proclaim

Verse: First to fight for the right,
And to build the Nation’s might,
And The Army Goes Rolling Along
Proud of all we have done,
Fighting till the battle’s won,
And the Army Goes Rolling Along.

Refrain: Then it’s Hi! Hi! Hey!
The Army’s on its way.
Count off the cadence loud and strong (TWO! THREE!)
For where e’er we go,
You will always know
That The Army Goes Rolling Along.

Verse: Valley Forge, Custer’s ranks,
San Juan Hill and Patton’s tanks,
And the Army went rolling along
Minute men, from the start,
Always fighting from the heart,
And the Army keeps rolling along.
(refrain)

Verse: Men in rags, men who froze,
Still that Army met its foes,
And the Army went rolling along.
Faith in God, then we’re right,
And we’ll fight with all our might,
As the Army keeps rolling along.
(refrain)

MP3 Audio of Army Song

 

“The Army Goes Rolling Along”

The song was originally written by field artillery First Lieutenant [later Brigadier General] Edmund L. Gruber, while stationed in the Philippines in 1908 as the “Caisson Song. The original lyrics reflect routine activities in a horse-drawn field artillery battery.  The song was transformed into a march by John Philip Sousa in 1917 and renamed “The Field Artillery Song.”

It was adopted in 1952 as the official song of the Army and retitled, “The Army Goes Rolling Along.” The current lyrics tell the story of our past, our present, and our future. For more on the history of “The Army Goes Rolling Along,” click on A Soldier's Song.

The “Army Goes Rolling Along” is played at the conclusion of every U.S. Army ceremony and all soldiers are expected to stand and sing. The three selections below can be downloaded and used for this purpose when a U.S. Army band is not available: