The Sergeant, He is the Worst of All @StephenGriffith-FolkSongIndex

Uploaded December 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

Day 268 of the American Songbag Stay-at-Home Series

Carl Sandburg's The American Songbag is the earliest known publication of this song.

"The sergeant, the sergeant he is the worst of all; He gets us up in the morning before the early call, With squads right, and squads left, and left front into line; Then the slimy son of a gun, he gives us double time."

Sandburg writes: "The buck private's private opinion publicly expressed, and that ain't all."

$Colorado Trail Day 288 of the American Songbag Stay-at-Home Series Sandburg writes: A hoss wrangler brought a car of ponies to Duluth, Minnesota. The next day, after brave stunt riding, he was laid in a hospital bed with “ruptures on both sides.” He told the surgeon Dr. T. L. Chapman, in a soft, forgiving voice, “That was a terribly bad hoss—not only throwed me, but he trampled me.” Out of past years this rider had, Dr. Chapman’s examination disclosed, “bones of both upper and lower legs broken, fractures of collar bone on both sides, numerous fractures of both arms and wrists, and many scars from lacerations and tramplings, the bones knit any way that God and Nature let them heal.” As his strength came back he sang across the hospital ward in a mellowed tenor voice. And they always called for more. One song was The Colorado Trail remembered by Dr. Chapman as here set down. ADDITIONAL NOTE: Lee Hays (If I Had a Hammer and Weavers fame) added several verses to this beautiful little tune, and many singers have recorded them, or added others of their own. The only traditional lyrics, however, are those given above, taken from a horse wrangler who was hospitalized in Duluth, Minnesota and printed by Sandburg. (from the Traditional Ballad Index)$