malvina reynolds - we hate to see them go lyrics
last night i had a lovely dream
i saw a big parade with ticker tape galore
and men were marching there
the like i’d never seen before
oh the bankers and the diplomats are going in the army
oh happy day! i’d give my pay to see them on parade
their paunches at attention and their striped pants at ease
they’ve gotten patriotic and they’re going overseas
we’ll have to do the best we can and bravely carry on
so we’ll just keep the laddies1 here to manage while they’re gone
oh, oh, we hate to see them go
the gentlemen of distinction in the army
the bankers and the diplomats are going in the army
it seemed too bad to keep them from the wars they love to plan
we’re all of us contented that they’ll fight a dandy war
they don’t need propaganda, they know what they’re fighting for
they’ll march away with dignity and in the best of form
and we’ll just keep the laddies here to keep the lassies1 warm
oh, oh, we hate to see them go
the gentlemen of distinction in the army
the bankers and the diplomats are going in the army
we’re going to make things easy ’cause it’s all so new and strange
we’ll give them silver shovels when they have to dig a hole
and they can sing in harmony when answering the roll
they’ll eat their old k+rations from a hand+embroidered box
and when they die, we’ll bring them home, and bury them in fort knox
oh, oh, we hate to see them go
the gentlemen of distinction in the army
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