" I went down to the park/Where all the children play/ I pulled out my machine gun/....

[Smarmie Doofus]

... And I began to spray."

Marine marching cadence in basic training. Iraq-bound Marines were trained this way.

According to this gentleman:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017102397

Meaningless? Significant?

Aberrant? Typical?

Discuss.

[peacebird]

1. Certainly was not like any cadences I heard growing up on Parris Island in the late 60's

And does not sound appropriate in any way.

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. Can you remember anything that *approached* it?

Are you a marine "army brat"? Is it possible that they did the nastier stuff when the kids were not around?

[peacebird]

13. I do not remember anything that came anywhere near approaching the vileness of that one.

I heard the recruits as we walked to the PX or movies, I doubt anyone paid any attention to a couple kids walking by....

[bluedigger]

2. "Ambush is killing! Killing is fun!"

That's what we repeated mindlessly in line for the chowhall in basic. Desensitization is a part of the indoctrination.

[Smarmie Doofus]

5. I guess you weren't on Parris Island in the 60's then.

See reply #1.

[bluedigger]

8. I would have said "boot camp" instead of "basic" then.

I never heard the cadence in the OP, but there are a few out there that are pretty rough.

[REP]

3. Pretty arrhythmic for a cadence

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. So... you don't believe it? n/t

[REP]

10. No, I don't. Read it out loud and march to it.

Here's the real "Marketplace cadence"

I went to the market
Where all the families shop
I pulled out my Ka-bar
And started to chop
To the left right left right left right kill
Left right left right you know I will

I went to the church
Where all the families pray
I pulled out my machine gun
And started to spray
To the left right left right left right kill
Left right left right you know I will

Example of a "jody" cadence:

Jody, Jody six feet four
Jody never had his ass kicked before.
I'm gonna take a three-day pass
And really slap a beating on Jody's ass!

Note the rhythm in both examples (reading them out loud may help) and then the example you posted. The rhythm in your alleged cadence is wrong.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

12. Obviously this could be used as a march cadence

I have no idea whether or not it was, but I took another look after reading your post, and I was sing-songing it in about 3 seconds. It's definitely march-able if someone wants it to be.

[Arkana]

7. Um, I have a real hard time that Marine drill sergeants

would use a (crappy) cadence that involved soldiers shooting children.

[CBGLuthier]

9. There was the perhaps not apocryphal "Napalm Sticks to Kids"

google it for the lyrics I am not posting that shit here.

[guardian]

11. total bullshit

No way you could march to that. Now on the other hand

I know a girl who lived on a hill...

[Spider Jerusalem]

14. That's not a marching cadence.

If I'm not mistaken those words go to the tune of "California Dreamin'" (instead of "fell down on my knees/and I began to pray", etc).