Lyrics:
He was a famous trumpet man from out Chicago way.
He had a boogie style that no one else could play.
He was the top man at his craft,
but then his number came up and he was gone with the draft.
He's in the army now. He's blowin' reveille.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
They made him blow a bugle for his Uncle Sam.
It really brought him down because he could not jam.
The captain seemed to understand,
because the next day the cap' went out and drafted the band.
And now the company jumps when he plays reveille.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
A root, a toot, a toodlie-a-da-toot.
He blows it eight to the bar in boogie rhythm.
He can't blow a note unless a bass and guitar
is playin' with him.
And the company jumps when he plays reveille.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
He was a boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
And when he played his boogie woogie bugle
he was busy as a busy -bzz- bee.
And when he played he made the company jump eight to the bar.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
And-a-ta toodliata-toodliata toot toot
he blows it eight to the bar.
He can't blow a note if a bass and guitar
isn't with him.
And the company jumps when he plays reveille.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
He puts the boys to sleep with boogie every night,
and wakes 'em up the same way in the early bright.
They clap their hands and stamp their feet,
'cause they know how it goes when someone gives him a beat.
He really wakes 'em up when he plays reveille.
The boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
A root, a toot, a toodli-a-da to toot toot toot
he's blowin' eight to the bar.
Yeah, he can't blow a note if a bass and guitar
isn't, woah, with him.
And the company jumps when he plays reveille.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
Analysis:
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by The Andrew Sisters is a pro war song. Although the lyrics to not explicitly state any opinion on the justification of the war, the general mood of the song is an upbeat one. This jubilant atmosphere frames the war in an easy-going and exciting spirit, which makes the song fairly pro-war. In a way, by not addressing an opinion on the morality of WW2, the song defaults to a pro-war attitude.
The lyrics "They clap their hands and stamp their feet" and "The captain seemed to understand,
because the next day the cap' went out and drafted the band." are very striking ones. They both suggest that life in the military is relaxing and adapts itself to comfort the recruited soldiers. The reality of the matter is that life in the military was not only incredibly demanding and difficult, but also very hard to become acclimatized to.
Simply put, the song does not address the stated foreign policy. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy references a misleading lifestyle of soldiers during WW2, but does not acknowledge, critique, or mention the politics behind the United Sates' involvement in the war. This is an interesting factor of the song which I believe was intentional. By ignoring the reality of military life and the reasons for our part in the war, The Andrew Sisters can perform a song that is light-hearted and spirit-lifting despite the subject matter.
This song answers in part the question of how war effects society. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy makes a dramatic fantasy out of a truly depressing reality that is honestly appreciated by the society which it was marketed to. This suggests that war can drive a society into a state of denial or, more likely, that the bleak circumstances that war gives way to gives growth to an abundance of jubilant media to counterbalance and support that society.
The sentiment of cheering up a country that's youth is being taken by war is one I can easily appreciate. However, this song is very untruthful about the actual state of military life and although that is likely no fault of the songwriter's, it is still unfair to both the consumers and those who were subject to the reality of the situation.
He was a famous trumpet man from out Chicago way.
He had a boogie style that no one else could play.
He was the top man at his craft,
but then his number came up and he was gone with the draft.
He's in the army now. He's blowin' reveille.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
They made him blow a bugle for his Uncle Sam.
It really brought him down because he could not jam.
The captain seemed to understand,
because the next day the cap' went out and drafted the band.
And now the company jumps when he plays reveille.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
A root, a toot, a toodlie-a-da-toot.
He blows it eight to the bar in boogie rhythm.
He can't blow a note unless a bass and guitar
is playin' with him.
And the company jumps when he plays reveille.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
He was a boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
And when he played his boogie woogie bugle
he was busy as a busy -bzz- bee.
And when he played he made the company jump eight to the bar.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
And-a-ta toodliata-toodliata toot toot
he blows it eight to the bar.
He can't blow a note if a bass and guitar
isn't with him.
And the company jumps when he plays reveille.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
He puts the boys to sleep with boogie every night,
and wakes 'em up the same way in the early bright.
They clap their hands and stamp their feet,
'cause they know how it goes when someone gives him a beat.
He really wakes 'em up when he plays reveille.
The boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
A root, a toot, a toodli-a-da to toot toot toot
he's blowin' eight to the bar.
Yeah, he can't blow a note if a bass and guitar
isn't, woah, with him.
And the company jumps when he plays reveille.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
Analysis:
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by The Andrew Sisters is a pro war song. Although the lyrics to not explicitly state any opinion on the justification of the war, the general mood of the song is an upbeat one. This jubilant atmosphere frames the war in an easy-going and exciting spirit, which makes the song fairly pro-war. In a way, by not addressing an opinion on the morality of WW2, the song defaults to a pro-war attitude.
The lyrics "They clap their hands and stamp their feet" and "The captain seemed to understand,
because the next day the cap' went out and drafted the band." are very striking ones. They both suggest that life in the military is relaxing and adapts itself to comfort the recruited soldiers. The reality of the matter is that life in the military was not only incredibly demanding and difficult, but also very hard to become acclimatized to.
Simply put, the song does not address the stated foreign policy. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy references a misleading lifestyle of soldiers during WW2, but does not acknowledge, critique, or mention the politics behind the United Sates' involvement in the war. This is an interesting factor of the song which I believe was intentional. By ignoring the reality of military life and the reasons for our part in the war, The Andrew Sisters can perform a song that is light-hearted and spirit-lifting despite the subject matter.
This song answers in part the question of how war effects society. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy makes a dramatic fantasy out of a truly depressing reality that is honestly appreciated by the society which it was marketed to. This suggests that war can drive a society into a state of denial or, more likely, that the bleak circumstances that war gives way to gives growth to an abundance of jubilant media to counterbalance and support that society.
The sentiment of cheering up a country that's youth is being taken by war is one I can easily appreciate. However, this song is very untruthful about the actual state of military life and although that is likely no fault of the songwriter's, it is still unfair to both the consumers and those who were subject to the reality of the situation.