When I was 1 / My Daddy | Military Cadence
(Lyrics & History)
Since World War II, when PVT Willie Lee Duckworth introduced cadences, these call-and-response songs led by Drill Sergeants have helped military units march and run in formation at standardized tempos of 120 and 180 BPM.
Lyrics
When I was 1
I got my first gun
When I was 2
Boy, I could shoot
My daddy, (hey!), My daddy (hey!), My daddy was an engineer
He watched me (hey!), he watched me (hey!), he watched me, smilin’ from ear to ear
When I was 3
I chopped down my first tree
When I was 4
I kicked in my first door
My daddy, (hey!), My daddy (hey!), My daddy was Infantry
He lived his (hey!), he lived his (hey!), he lived his life for you and me
When I was 5
I fought to stay alive
When I was 6
I killed just kicks
My daddy, (hey!), My daddy (hey!), My daddy was in the Army
He lived his (hey!), he gave his (hey!), he lived his life for you and me
Related Products
Listen to this cadence:
Song Name: When I Was 1 (My Daddy)
Album Name: Cadences Volume 3
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.