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Tell That to the Marines

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Wikipedia article




"'Tell that to the Marines'" is a 1918 song, written during World War I. Jean Schwartz and Al Jolson composed the music; Harold Atteridge wrote the lyrics. Al Jolson performed an early version of the song. Based on sales estimates, it reached number two on the Top 100 US songs of its time.

The lyrics reference the catchphrase, Tell It to the Marines, and they address Kaiser Wilhelm directly.

Lyrics



Do you remember, Kaiser Bill

About a year ago?

We told your old friend Bernstorff

That he better pack and go

You laughed and said

"America possessed no fighting stuff,"

Until our fighting Yankee boys

Walked in and called your bluff

That Monte Cristo idea will not do

If you think that the world belongs to you

Well, tell that to the Marines--

Those deviling hounds who know what fighting means

You are going to lick the world-- you said you will--

If you mean Uncle Sam, now listen Kaiser Bill:

Tell that to the Marines

The first to fight on all the fighting scenes

If you think you'll sink our new boat

With your damned old u-boat

Tell that to the Marines

That line of Hindenburg's would never break, you made a vow

It must be made of rubber, Bill

The way it's bending now

The Krupp works that you bragged about

You rave of them no more

We'll change them to the bankrupt works when we end up this war

So Kaiser Bill at warfare we are new

If you think now the Yankee drive is through



Well, tell that to the Marines

Those deviling hounds who know what fighting means

We are going to have six million men in line

Kaiser Bill, if you don't think they will cross the Rhine

Tell that to the Marines

The first to fight on all the fighting scenes

If you think the Yanks won't whirl-in

Right straight into Berlin

Tell that to the Marines!

References



Category:Songs about sailors

Category:Songs about soldiers

Category:Works about the United States Navy

Category:1918 songs

Category:Songs about Wilhelm II

Category:Songs of World War I

Category:Songs written by Al Jolson

Category:Songs with music by Jean Schwartz

Category:Songs with lyrics by Harold R. Atteridge

Category:Al Jolson songs


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