My Way or the Highway | Military Cadence
(Lyrics & History)
The U.S. Military has a long-standing tradition of marching to call-and-response songs led by a troop, Drill Instructor/Sergeant, or other leader. Originating with PVT Willie Lee Duckworth during WW2, the tradition of calling "cadences," or Jodies has become a staple in military bootcamps, schools, and PT. With a tempo of 120 BPM or 180 BPM on runs, cadences offer a steady, predictable pace. This pace not only helps to reinforce unit cohesion and morale, but also has the very practical applications of keeping troops "in-step" with one another and keeping their breathing regulated and steady.
Over the years, cadences have adapted to adopt a startling and occasionally controversial tone. The aggressive nature of certain cadences has been utilized to mentally equip new trainees for the harsh realities of their roles. Other cadences, however tend to focus on the humorous portions of military-life. This Jody, "My Way or the Highway" tells the story of a very motivated recruit being reminded of his rank.
Lyrics
Just the other day I heard a Drill Sergeant say
You wanna be a Soldier, you gotta do it my way
My way or the highway
My way or the doggone highway
My way’s the right way,
Your way’s the wrong way
Just the other day I heard a First Sergeant say
You wanna get this diamond, you gotta do it my way
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My way or the highway
My way or the doggone highway
My way’s the right way, your way’s the wrong way
Just the other day
Just the other day
Just the other day
I heard a drill Sergeant say
Listen to this cadence:
Song Name: My Way or the Highway
Album Name: Cadences Volume 2
by Jonathan Michael Fleming
DISCLAIMERS:
The lyrics and music to the above cadence are not original to me. To the best of my knowledge, the song is in the public domain, as the author is unknown and has simply been handed down generation-to-generation within the US military.
The views and opinions presented herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of DoD or its Components. Appearance of, or reference to, any commercial products or services does not constitute DoD endorsement of those products or services. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute DoD endorsement of the linked websites, or the information, products or services therein.