"The Green Beret" - March
 

A small discussion got started on another board about a song.

The title was "The Green Beret". It's identified as "The official march of the United States Army Special Warfare Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina". It appears to credit W.O. Ken Whitcomb as the author. Side A is the Concert version and Side B is the Quickstep version.

The original poster is pretty sure he picked it up at the Smoke Bomb Hill bookstore around 62 or 63.

I've never heard about an "Official March". All I've heard SF related while out on the parade field was "The Ballad of the Green Berets".

Earl J - you got your ears on? Your office got a copy or any info on it? Anybody?

Never heard of this.....

Waiting for Richard's memory to kickin.....:D

Just a tid-bit
 

Just a tid-bit - all I could find.....

http://www.philxmilstein.com/probe/pix/PostSadler/

Down near the bottom - ....."Paul Lavalle accepts citation from Major Daniel Baldwin of the U.S. Army Special Forces for being the first non-military band to perform 'The Green Beret' march (June 14, 1965)" (detail from LP back cover):.........

http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/sixtie..._misc_A_M.html

Scroll down to "B".

Have the album cover and the disc framed and mounted and didn't see anything about Whitcomb or P.G. Fairbanks..... :confused:

Mebbe I'm missing something.

Whitcomb and Fairbanks appear to be composers. As in tailoring the ballad for a string ensemble.

I found this link for Whitcomb (right side of page 2). http://www.murrieta.k12.ca.us/cms/li...430%5B1%5D.pdf

But thats just my humble opinion.

Well, if has "Special Forces" and "March" you know it is bogus.

SF doesn't "march" (other than perhaps heavy rucks over long distances)

It's here (download on the upper right): http://mp3.rapidlibrary.com/mp3.php?...he+green+beret

I'd sure love to hear you guys sing (and whistle) it! ;)

Pat

I have neither heard of nor heard that song before and, after hearing it, can understand why. It sounds like it belongs in a stage show with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goBcG...eature=related

As much as I got tired of hearing the JFKCENMA Drum and Bugle Corps playing Saddler's 'The Ballad of the Green Berets,' I am forever thankful they never adopted Whitcomb's 'The Green Beret.'

Richard :munchin

You're right
 

It did get a bit better when they stopped talking and it was just the music. But you're right - it did sound like some 1950's stage show dance routine.

Listening to that was interesting..... Not!

If they had played that song every every day, all day at Camp Mackall I think I would have slit my wrists.

When listening to it all I could think of was a bunch of former DADT soldiers dancing around Bronze Bruce.

Tress

Holy Crap!! Somehow I'm reminded of The Producers.:eek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCUfk...yer_detailpage

OMG,that was the toughest several minutes I've ever spent wasted in my life listening to that ?????....:rolleyes::(:eek:

Big Teddy :munchin

"GB March"!?! :confused: I just subjected myself to listening to that, and it's gay. Cheesy as hell. Never heard it before and will never again. That is classic of something that comes from the mind of the Hollywood clueless.

No. That has never been and never will be the"Official" Special Forces "march". Because there isn't one and doesn't need to be one.


When required, the Special Forces march to "The Army Goes Rolling Along" like every other solider. I can do without any of them but nobody is going to buck tradition on the Army's official march.

The Ballad of The Green Beret is ok in my book though. Evokes an era. At least Barry Saddler actually was one.

I can barely keep my "jazz hands" still:D:D

Aaaaaahhhhh << scratching my eyes out>>>

Thanks for the mental image :D

"Green Beret" and "March" in the same sentence.....REALLY....???:confused:

"Face to your left....move out"

Its a good thing that I have a severe sinus cold, and couldn't hear all the high notes on this farce of a song.

That was just baaaaaaaaad.. two minutes of my life that I won't get back.

I ran across this discussion stream by accident about the Green Beret March. It was written by the United States Military Academy bandmaster at the time, W.O.
Ken Whitcomb. General Yarborough desired to have a melody put to the SF prayer and which would be appropriate for ceremonies. He approached the Army band and was put in contact with Whitcomb who had quite a reputation for composing music. The result was published by Music! Music! Music! and played by several bands around the country. It was praised by and accepted by Yarborough. Just a short time later, however, Yarborough heard "The Ballad of the Green Berets" at a gathering at Fort Bragg. He felt it needed some work, so approached Robin Moore, a novelist and a magazine reporter, who had just completed going through SFQC as a civilian. (This was the only way that Yarborough would give permission for the book.) Yarborough asked Moore to finesse the lyrics and Robin is attributed as co-author. The music then was published and became an "overnight" hit. Yarborough embraced the song as the official song for Special Forces and sent Sadler on the road.
The march was relegated to our files.

Roxanne

Roxanne M. Merritt
Director, JFK Special Warfare Museum
910-432-4272/DSN: 239
910-432-4062 (fax)/DSN: 239
merrittr@socom.mil

Thank you curator09
 

curator09 does not need an introduction, most of the SF on here know who she is.

Welcome aboard.

Is this the song?? :munchin


link: The Green Beret · Paul Lavalle · Band Of America

That's it! My link died. Or was killed. May have been suicide, though. ;)

Pat

The skin flute section was on it