This song is said to have originated in the Hudson River Valley, probably composed by a member of the New York regiment near West Point. It gained popularity as a marching song and became a favorite among colonial children while their elders went to war. The song depicts the lighter side of a soldier’s life. As the lyrics tell us, the Yankees did, in a sense, “fly” since they spent much of their time ambushing the redcoats from high in the trees with their long rifles.
Lyrics:
Doodle Doodle Doodle Dandy
Cornstalk rum and homemade brandy
Indian pudding and a pumpkin pie
That’s what makes the Yankees fly
And every Yank will have on his back
A hefty pumpkin in his sack
A little molasses and a piece of bark
And away we’ll march straight for New York
Doodle, Doodle Doodle Dandy
Cornstalk rum and a homemade brandy
Indian pudding and a pumpkin pie
That’s what makes the Yankees fly
And every Yank will have on his back
A hefty pumpkin in his sack
A little molasses and a piece of bark
And away we’ll march straight for New York
And away we’ll march straight for New York