Interlude ("Shoot Him in the Head") | Military Cadence
(Lyrics & History)
The US Military features a time-honored tradition of call-and-response songs used during marching, rucking, and running, a sound that many recognize. This practice initiated by Private Willie Lee Duckworth in 1944, resulted in the development of "Jodies," "Jody calls," or "cadences," which have become a fundamental aspect of military culture. Although some cadences may have a controversial tone, often touching on themes of violence and war, they help to prepare young soldiers for the challenges they will face in combat.
This cadence, "Interlude" as I call it, has been a staple for generations. It is less lyrical, and not meant to tell a story, as many cadences are. This cadence is more rhythmic in nature, focusing more on the left foot-right foot commands. The lyrics, "shoot him in the head, kill him!" live rent free in the heads of veterans everywhere.
Lyrics
Left, go left (Hey!)
Go left (Hey!)
Go let (Hey!)
Left, right, your left (You go it)
Left, right, your left (You got it)
Left, right, go left
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Drill Sergeant getting busy one time
Go left, right, go left (Two times, three times)
(Pump, pump, pump, pump it up)
Give it up two, three, four
(Shoot him in the head, shoot him in the head, kill him!)
Give it up, tow, three, four (You got to)
Re-load, and shoot him again
Listen to this cadence:
Song Name: Interlude
Album Name: Cadences Volume 2
by Jonathan Michael Fleming
DISCLAIMERS:
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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.
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