Song Of The Marines [We're Shovin' Right Off Again]

In honor of Memorial Day, lyrics for Song Of The Marines

The Song of The Marines

(We're Shovin' Right Off Again)

Written for: The Singing Marine (1937)

Performer: Dick Powell, Hugh Herbert, Lee Dixon, Allen Jenkins Studio Chorus

Lyric: Al Dubin

Additional British lyric: Charles Dunn

Music: Harry Warren

Year: 1937

Original publisher: Remick Music Corp


Verse 1:

There's gotta be pork, there's gotta be beans,

In order to fill up and fatten the fightin' Marines,

The mighty Marines.

We carry all our vitamins inside a little can,

For corned beef is a delicacy in China or Japan;

And so, we're ready to go, wherever we go,

We know that we go prepared

To fight the foe or see that we keep 'em scared;

On land we always land a bit of femininity,

And then we hear the bugle blow,

And where the heck are we?


Chorus:

Over the sea let's go, men!

We're shovin' right off,

We're shovin' right off again;

Nobody knows where or when,

We're shovin' right off,

We're shovin' right off again.

It may be Shanghai,

Farewell and goodbye;

Sally and Sue, don't be blue;

We'll just be gone for years and years and then,

We're shovin' right off for home again!

Verse 2 (from British sheet music):

There's gotta be work, as well as canteens,

In order to discipline all of those fightin' Marines,

The blighted Marines.

But also by this rule they must have lots and lots of play,

And that's how you bring up the Marines into the fighting way;

And so, a good NCO can take us in tow,

None of us then give a hang,

But deal the blow with parry and thrust and bang;

And when the scrap is over, we'll relax in our own way,

Each man for himself with the dames around,

Call it a day;

[Chorus]