Would You Rather Be A Colonel With An Eagle On Your Shoulder Or A Private With a Chicken On Your Knee? 1918

by James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 03 Dec 2006
2006

Once I heard a father ask his soldier son:
"Why can't you advance
like other boys have done?
You've been a private mighty long,
won't you tell me what is wrong?"
And then the soldier lad said:
"Listen to me, Dad."

I'd rather be a private
than a colonel in the army,
a private has more fun,
when his day's work is done,
and when he goes on hikes,
in ev'ry town he strikes,
girls discover him, and just smother him
with things he likes.
but girlies act so shy
when colonel passes by,
he holds his head so high with dignity,
so would you rather be a colonel
with an eagle on your shoulder
or a private with a chicken on your knee?

I'd rather be a private
than a colonel in the army,
a colonel out in France
can never take a chance
for tho' his job is great
he dare not make a date,
all that he can do is just "Parley Voo'
then hesitate,
but privates meet the Ma
and then they treat the Pa
and then they "Oolala" with "Wee Marie"
so would you rather be a colonel
with an eagle on your shoulder
or a private with a chicken on your knee?

Ev'ry night you find
some private in the park
spooning on a bench where it is nice and dark,
he's just as happy as can be,
with his girlie on his knee,
but colonel never dares to mix in such affairs.

I'd rather be a private
than a colonel in the army,
a private has more fun,
when his day's work is done,
and when he goes on hikes,
in ev'ry town he strikes,
girls discover him, and just smother him
with things he likes.
but girlies act so shy
when colonel passes by,
he holds his head so high with dignity,
so would you rather be a colonel
with an eagle on your shoulder
or a private with a chicken on your knee?

I'd rather be a private
than a colonel in the army,
a colonel out in France
can never take a chance
for tho' his job is great
he dare not make a date,
all that he can do is just "Parley Voo'
then hesitate,
but privates meet the Ma
and then they treat the Pa
and then they "Oolala" with "Wee Marie"
so would you rather be a colonel
with an eagle on your shoulder
or a private with a chicken on your knee?

Soft karaoke
Words
piano
piano
piano
piano
*
Would You Rather Be A Colonel 1918
sung by Eddie Cantor in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1918
Music by Archie Gottler
Lyrics by Sidney D.Mitchell
© MCMXVIII by Leo Feist Inc. N.Y.
*
sequence & karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Sunday 03 December 2006 at 7.23pm
in association with Doug Grierson
*