Re: Posting to the trot

[MBlanchrd@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-08-08 10:19:30 EDT, you write:

<< So, will you post some of these jordy calls for us non-military types to 
 use?  I love to talk and sing on horseback, and I love jingles and 
 nursery rhymes and tongue-twisters too.  I really think I need some jordy 
 calls to add to my repertoire! LOL
 
 Glenda R. Snodgrass >>

It's Jody, not Jordy. Hmmm........there's so many jodies, and few of them
really translate into "civilian".........the U.S. Cavalry Store (I betcha
they're online) has a book you can buy with a lot of them in it. Despite it's
name, it's a civilian company, anybody can buy from their catalog.

But, I could, I suppose, twist them to fit...though I am by no means a poet.
You can understand what Imean that they don't translate in the following jody:
"C-130 rolling down the strip
Airborne soldier gonna take a little trip
Stand up,
Hook up,
Shuffle to the door,
Jump right out on the count of four."

What this is about is a soldier about to jump out of an airplane (something I
NEVER DID) and the steps one takes prior to jumping out..with a chute.
Me.......They'd have to pry my fingers from the frame and boot me out, and I'd
still be screaming all the way down........

Some of them are not really fit for print. They used to be obscene until us
women got into the regular army, then they were cleaned up. Nevertheless, some
of them are still, if not raunchy, pretty strong, dealing with killing the
enemy, among other things. They can be real morale builders..even in a
backwards way.  For instance, the very name, Jody, refers to the person (it
used to be the guy) who fools around with your wife while you the soldier are
off fighting wars for the country.  Jody being a name that both genders can
use, if fit right in.

BUt...here's one, you can change it any way you see fit, as all that's
important is the rhythym, the rhyme isn't..

I get up at a quarter to two, (I get up up)
gonna fight for me and you (I get up up)
I get up at a quarter to three (I get up up)
It's so early I can't even see (I get up up)
I get up at a quarter to four (I get up up)
Gonna go on out the door (I get up up)
Hit the highway at a quarter to six (I get up up)
The traffic's bout to gimme fits (I get up up)
Get to work at a quarter to seven (I get up up)
Don't really think that this is heaven (I get up up)
I'm starting work at a quarter to eight (I get up up)
First Sergeant's getting really irate (I get up up)

and on and on. These calls are used thusly..one person is doing the calling,
the body of the jody as above. In paranthesis  (I get up up) is what the rest
of the people respond with. The whole idea is to call these things while
running in formation, meaning a whole bunch of people all running in a neat
block of columns and files. The caller runs alongside the main body. "Calling
Cadence" or singing jodies keeps everyone running in step with everyone else,
and also helps a great deal with breathing control while running at an 8
minute mile pace. 
When rap hit the streets, so to speak, it also hit the army. If you got a  guy
who could rap and call cadence, you could run for miles, just waiting to hear
what he came up with next. It was fun, really, though not at the time!

I will do some checking around and see if the US Cav Store is online. They
have books..and tapes of jodies.
Hope this helps a little
Michelle