RE-ENLISTMENT BLUES
>From the film "From Here To Eternity" (1953)
(James Jones / Fred Karger / Robert Wells)


Merle Travis (Film Soundtrack) - 1953
Buddy Morrow & His Orch. (vocal: Frankie Lester) - 1953
Ray Bloch & His Orch. - 1953
Floyd Cramer (Instr.) - 1960
Michael Parks - 1970

Also recorded by: Kenny Gill; Hot Tuna; Gustav Winckler.





As recorded by MERLE TRAVIS:


My hitch was up Monday
I ain't a dog soldier no more
I ain't a soldier no more
They give me all that money
So much my pockets are sore
My pockets are sore
More dough than I can use
Re-enlistment blues

Took my dough to town Tuesday
Found me a big feather bed
Found a big double bed
I will find a job tomorrow
Tonight I'll sleep like I'm dead
Gonna sleep like I'm dead
And get up when I choose
Re-enlistment blues

Well, I hit the bars Wednesday
Made me some friends on my own
Lotta friends on my own
Found a pretty baby
She wouldn't leave me alone
Wouldn't leave me alone
She kept me buyin' booze
Re-enlistment blues

(Guitar Solo)

Went back around Thursday
Asked for a free glass o' beer
I said, "Gimme one little beer"
But that gal forgot to know me
She just said, "No credit here"
No credit here
An' did I give her a bruise
Re-enlistment blues

That jail was cold Saturday
Just like the people in town
All the people in town
They ain't got time to know you
Just time to pull you way down
They'll pull you way down
Just one thing left to choose
Re-enlistment blues

Short-timers, let me tell ya
Don't you get throwed in the can
Don't get throwed in the can
You might as well be dead
Or be a thirty-year-man
Be a thirty-year-man
They always seem to lose
Re-enlistment blues

Recruitin' crews give me the blues
Re-enlistment blues


********************


As recorded by MICHAEL PARKS:


My hitch was up Monday
I'm not a dog soldier no more
They give me all that money
So much my pockets was sore
Did you hear about the news
Re-enlistment blues

I went into town Tuesday
To find me a big feather bed
One big feather bed
I'll find a job tomorrow
Tonight I'm gonna, I'm gonna sleep like I'm dead
Yeah, I'm gonna lay down my head
Hah, I'm gonna wake up when I choose
Re-enlistment blues

'Cause you see, I went into town Wednesday
I hit those bars lookin' for friends
Friends of my own
I found a pretty baby
She wouldn't leave me alone
Hah, she kept me buyin' booze
Re-enlistment blues

I woke up with the miseries
Them walls was movin' I swear
Ah, there goin' movin', I swear
Hah, and I reached down in my trousers
And you know somethin'
All my pockets was bare
Now, that gal was sure bad news
Re-enlistment blues

So, you know what I did
I went back to that barroom
I asked for a, for a free glass of beer
You know, just, just one little beer
You know what that gal said
Hah-hah, she forgot to know me
She said, No, no," she said, "No, 
No, there ain't no credit here"
I gave some guy a bruise
Oh, re-enlistment blues

That jailhouse was cold
Just like the people in town
Ah, those people in town, let me tell ya somethin'
They ain't got time to know ya, not at all
They just got time to put you down
I got one thing left to choose
Re-enlistment blues

I slept in the park Sunday
And I watched all them folks go to church
You know how your belly feels empty
You know when you've been left in the lurch
Dog soldiers don't know humans
Re-enlistment blues, that's what it's called

Short-timers, I'm gonna tell you somethin'
Don't you ever get throwed in the can
Because you might as well be dead
Hah, or be a thirty-year-man
That guy always seems to lose
Hello there, Sergeant Brown
Yeah, it's me again, listen
I'll tell ya somethin', uh, uh
Musterin' out, uh, it was great
Yeah, it was great, yeah
Yes Sir






(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - October 2015)