From the 1919 musical review “Hitchy-Koo”.
Words and music by Cole Porter.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
Now since the Allied banners
Gave a lesson in good manners
To the Kaisers and Crown Princes
And Von Hindenburgs, Von Ludendorffs
Von Falkenhayns, Von Mackensens
Von Tirpitzes, Von Klucks
The youth of all the nations
Find the greatest recreations
Drinking Pol Roger and Pommery
Veuve Cliquot, Louis Roederer
Ruinart, Piper Heidsick, Montebello
Mumm's and Cooks
But while I watch the other fellows
Throwing up their hats
And crying that at last
The world's made save for Democrats
For me the road seems rocky
For they've stripped me of my khaki
And since I've been demobilized
Refrain:
I find that life's not what it used to be
When I had a uniform on
For all the lovely ladies fell for me
When I had a uniform on
And in those days of glory I was the beau
Of every doggone musical show
Each night you'd see me supping somewhere
With a dainty little star upon my Croix de guerre
Into their inmost hearts they'd let me strike
When I had a uniform on
But now the war is o'er
They don't quite like me any more
And it's a bore
For they used to bound around me in millions
But now, somehow that I'm in civilians
They pass me by
Gee, I wish I could start another war