Title song from musical “Strike Up the Band”, 1927.
Words by Ira Gershwin.
Music by George Gershwin.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
We fought in nineteen-seventeen
Rum-ta-ta-tum-tum-tum
And drive the tyrant from the scene
We’re in a bigger, better war
For your patriotic pastime
We don’t know what we’re fighting for
But we didn’t know the last time
So, load the cannon, draw the blade
Rum-ta-ta-tum-tum-tum
Come on and join the “Big Parade”
Rum-ta-ta-tum-tum, Rum-ta-ta-tum-tum
Rum-ta-ta-tum-tum-tum
Refrain
Let the drums roll out, let the trumpet call
While the people shout, “Strike up the band”
Hear the cymbals ring, callin’ one and all
To the martial swing, Strike up the band
There is work to be done, to be done
There’s a war to be won, to be won
Come, you son of a son of a gun
Take your stand, fall in line, yea bo
Come along, let’s go
Hey, Leader, strike up the band!
Refrain
Let the drums roll out, let the trumpet call
While the people shout, “Strike up the band”
Hear the cymbals ring, callin’ one and all
To the martial swing, Strike up the band
Yankee Doo, Doodle-oo, Doodle-oo
We’ll come through, Doodle-oo, Doodle-oo
For the red, white and blue, Doodle-oo
We’ll come through, Doodle-oo, Doodle-oo
For the red, white and blue, Doodle-oo
Lend a hand, with our flag unfurled
We can lick the world
Hey, Leader, strike up the band!