Sing – The Army Goes Rolling Along – Youth Activity Archive

A spirited anthem celebrating the U.S. Army’s heritage and its continuous, unstoppable forward movement.

Lyrics by: Dr. H. W. Arberg (Current) / Edmund L. Gruber (Original)
Music by: Edmund L. Gruber (Arranged by John Philip Sousa)

Recordings

Lyrics

Chorus:
Then it’s hi! hi! hey!
The Army’s on its way.
Count off the cadence loud and strong;
For where’er we go,
You will always know
That the Army goes rolling along.

March along, sing our song, with the Army of the free.
Count the brave, count the true, who have fought to victory.
We’re the Army and proud of our name!
We’re the Army and proudly proclaim:

First to fight for the right,
And to build the Nation’s might,
And the Army goes rolling along.
Proud of all we have done,
Fighting till the battle’s won,
And the Army goes rolling along.

Chorus

Valley Forge, Custer’s ranks,
San Juan Hill and Patton’s tanks,
And the Army went rolling along.
Minute men, from the start,
Always fighting from the heart,
And the Army keeps rolling along.

Chorus

Men in rags, men who froze,
Still that Army met its foes,
And the Army went rolling along.
Faith in God, then we’re right,
And we’ll fight with all our might,
As the Army keeps rolling along.

Chorus

History

The Army Goes Rolling Along” began in March 1908 as “The Caisson Song,” written by First Lieutenant (later Brigadier General) Edmund L. Gruber while stationed in the Philippines. During a difficult march through the Zambales Mountains, Gruber climbed to high ground and heard a section chief shout to his drivers, “Come on! Keep ’em rolling!” Inspired by the “rattling and clattering” of the horse-drawn field artillery batteries, Gruber composed the melody and original lyrics to reflect these routine activities. In 1917, the famous bandmaster John Philip Sousa transformed the tune into a march, which was renamed “The Field Artillery Song” and quickly became the Army’s most popular melody.

After World War II, the Army held nationwide contests in 1948 and 1952 to find a suitable official song, but after no submissions gained traction, commanders voted overwhelmingly to use Gruber’s melody. The song was formally adopted in 1952 as the official song of the Army and retitled “The Army Goes Rolling Along.” While most soldiers were familiar with the old artillery lyrics, Dr. H. W. Arberg molded new verses from 140 submissions to ensure the song told a broader story of the Army’s past, present, and future, moving beyond its artillery-specific roots.

Today, the anthem serves as a primary symbol of service pride and unity. By regulation, “The Army Goes Rolling Along” is played at the conclusion of every U.S. Army ceremony, and all Soldiers are expected to stand and sing.

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Published on April 22, 2026. Author:

Tia Kennard

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