Fifes and Drums/Marching with Papa Joffre
MARCHING WITH PAPA JOFFRE
A SONG TO FIFES AND DRUMS
Marching!—What are they marching, there, for?
Rin-rin!—Ran!—Pata, pata, plan!
Papa Joffre he's coming from the war:
Vive la—Vive la France!
Blue jacket and red breeches and mustachios gleaming white,
With a Tommy on his left hand and a Johnny on his right,
He has come to give America his Godspeed for the fight:
Vive l'Amerique! Vive la France!
Vive la—Vive la France!
Fighting!—What are they fighting, there, for?
Eho!—Eho!—Pata, pata, plan!
To make men free men, now and evermore:
Vive la—Vive la France!
The Kaiser and his kaiserlings they guessed that they would go
And ring the Paris Christmas bells, a-laying churches low;
But Papa Joffre beside the Marne stood up and said: No, no!
A bas les Boches! Vive la France!
Vive la—Vive la France!
Cheering!—What are they cheering, there, for?
Hurrah!—Hurrah!—Hip, hip, hip, Hurrah!
Red, white, blue flags—flaming for the war:
Vive la—Vive la France!
Jack Poilu he's a true lad, as Papa Joffre has tried;
John Bull he is another, and he marches Jack beside;
And Yankee Doodle joins with them—three brothers, God for guide:
Vive l'Amerique! l'Angleterre! la France!
Vive la—Vive la France!
Praying!—What are they praying, there, for?
Dieu! Seigneur! A ton Esprit la gloire!
The Peace of Justice reign forever more!
Vive l'Esprit de la France!
We are marching in alliance that our faith may be restored;
We are fighting, we are cheering, for a nobler world-accord;
We are praying, through the tempest, unto Liberty, our Lord:
Vive l'Alliance! Vive la France!
Vive la victoire de la France!
Percy MacKaye.