American Old Time Song Lyrics: 51 The German Fifth
Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 51
THE GERMAN FIFTH.
Copyright, 1876, by Louis O. Goullaud.
Written and Sung by Gus Williams.
Of you'll look at as your oud, you vill see some soldiers gay,
Ve belong to de German Fifth, dat bromenades upon Broadway.
Ye march awhile in single file, dem ve change to two-by-two;
You bet ve make de beoble smile ven ve march dot sidy drough.
Chorus.
Double rank-vatch de flank-don't dat vas a splendid drill?
Mark dot time-ain't dot fine? ven ve march ve don't stand sdill.
Houp-a-la! shout hurrah! dot's de my dot's sure to kill:
Right face about, go inside oud-hurrah for de German Fifth!
Ven ve vas in dot army ve vas fed on barrel staves:
Und ven ve don't vas fight, ve had to vork at digging graves;
Und ve got so sick and thin, dot you could easily see us drough;
Und somedimes dey kept us marching dill your feet vas black und blue.- Cho.
But now ve are home-guard brivates, ve got blenty grub to eat!
Dutchmen all are jealous of us, ven ve march along de sdreed.
Arms quick present und elbows bent, eyes to right and heads up straight.
Mil left und right und moud shut tight-a mile a day dot vas our gait.- Cho.