TELL THAT TO THE MARINES
(Gus Edwards (m) Sgt. Bernard S Barron (l))

as recorded by Al Jolson
1919


Do you remember, Kaiser Bill, about a year ago,
We told your old friend Bernstorff that he'd better pack and go?
You laughed and said, "America possessed no fighting stuff!",
Until our fighting Yankee boys walked in and called your bluff!
That Monte Cristo idea will not do,
If you think that the world belongs to you,

Tell that to the Marines,
Those deviling hounds who know what fighting means!
You are going to lick the world, you said you will;
If you mean Uncle Sam, now listen Kaiser Bill

Tell that to the Marines,
The first to fight on all the fighting scenes!
If you thing you'll sink our new boat
With your damned old U-boat,
Tell that to the Marines!

That line of Hindenberg's would never break, you made a vow;
It must be made of rubber, Bill, the way it's bending now!
Those Krupp works that you bragged about, you rave of them no more,
We'll change them to the bankrupt works when we end the war!
So, Kaiser Bill, at warfare we are new,
If you think now the Yankee drive is through,

Tell that to the Marines,
Those deviling hounds who know what fighting means!
We are going to have six million men in line;
Kaiser Bill, if you don't think they will cross the Rhine,

Tell that to the Marines,
The first to fight on all the fighting scenes!
And if you think the Yanks won't whirl in,
Right straight into Berlin,
Tell that to the Marines!




(Transcribed by Peter Akers - July 2017)