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In The Army Now

Bolland & Bolland
Language: English


Bolland & Bolland

List of versions


Related Songs

The Last Apache
(Bolland & Bolland)


[1981]
Famosa nella versione degli Status Quo



This song from 1981 is a anti-Vietnam song. Original made by Bolland (two Dutch brothers who also produced "Rock me Amadeus" by Falco. It was later covered by Status Quo (and they made it a hit). "A vacation in a foreign land, Uncle Sam does the best he can". "Now you remember what the draftman said, nothing to do all day but stay in bed". "You'll be the hero of the neighbourhood, nobody knows that you left for good". "You've got your orders to shoot on sight, your finger's on the trigger, but it don't seem right". This song was from the album "The Domino Theory", a conceptalbum about the Vietnam war.

from this page

A vacation in a foreign land
Uncle Sam does the best he can
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Now you remember what the draftsman said
Nothing to do all day but stay in bed
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

You be the hero of the neighborhood
Nobody knows that you left for good
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Smiling faces as you wait to land
But once you get there no one gives a damn
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Hand grenades flying over your head
Missiles flying over your head
If you want to survive get out of bed
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Shots ring out in the dad of night
The sergeant calls (stand up and fight)
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

You've got your orders better shoot on sight
Your finger's on the trigger
But it don't seem right
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Night is falling and you just can't see
Is this illusion or reality
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Contributed by Riccardo Venturi - 2005/5/17 - 00:19




Language: Italian

Versione italiana
NELL'ESERCITO, ORA

Una vacanza in terra straniera
Lo zio Sam fa il meglio che può
Sei nell'esercito ora
Oh, oh tu sei nell'esercito, ora
Ora ti ricordi cosa ha detto il pescatore
Niente da fare tutto il giorno ma stare a letto
Sei nell'esercito ora
Oh, oh tu sei nell'esercito, ora
Sarai un eroe del vicinato
Nessuno sa che sei partito per sempre
Sei nell'esercito ora
Oh, oh tu sei nell'esercito, ora
Volti sorridenti sulla strada per 'Nam
Ma una volta arrivato lì nessuno se ne frega
Sei nell'esercito ora
Oh, oh tu sei nell'esercito, ora
Bombe a mano che volano sopra la tua testa
Il sole vola sopra la tua testa
Se vuoi sopravvivere, sei fuori scommessa
Sei nell'esercito ora
Oh, oh tu sei nell'esercito, ora
Gli spari risuonano nel cuore della notte
Il sergente chiama: "Alzati e combatti!"
Sei nell'esercito ora
Oh, oh tu sei nell'esercito, ora
Hai i tuoi ordini da sparare a vista
il dito è sul grilletto ma non sembra giusto
Sei nell'esercito ora
Oh, oh tu sei nell'esercito, ora
La notte sta cadendo e tu non puoi vedere
È questa illusione o realtà
Sei nell'esercito ora
Oh, oh tu

Contributed by Donatella Leoni - 2018/8/28 - 11:41




Language: English

Status Quo released this song again in 2010 and unfortunatelly now they change their lyrics to pro-war. Check it here in the Independent newspaper article: Status Quo in the army now - for charity single

If you want to check the changings they did to their lyrics, below are the original 1986 lyrics, with the revised 2010 alternatives in brackets.
IN THE ARMY NOW 2010

A vacation in a foreign land [You're on your way to a foreign land]
Uncle Sam does the best he can [Now's the time to do what you can]
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Now you remember what the draftman said
Nothing to do all day but stay in bed
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

You'll be the hero of the neighbourhood
Nobody knows that you left for good [Counting the days till you're back for good]
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Smiling faces as you wait to land
But once you get there no one gives a damn [Side by side every woman and man]
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Handgrenades flying over your head
Missiles flying over your head
If you want to survive get out of bed
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Shots ring out in the dead of night
The sergant calls stand up and fight!
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

You've got your orders better shoot on sight [You've got your orders better put things right]
Your finger's on the trigger
But it don't seem right [Now it's time to fight]
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Night is falling and you just can't see
Is this illusion or reality
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Contributed by Cláudia - 2011/2/27 - 23:09


Bellissima! Sia per musica, sia per testo!

Roberto - 2007/4/17 - 11:26


Bellissima canzone...

2008/12/17 - 15:26


Bellissima canzone? ma cosa cax dici io non conosco l'inglese mi fai la traduzione?

o ti piace solo la musica

scimmia - 2009/4/4 - 17:10


Hey,

Actually the lyrics from the original song by Bolland & Bolland were like: "Smiling faces on your way to 'Nam".

BTW, why say "unfortunatelly now they change their lyrics to pro-war"? I would say they just changed the lyrics to pro-the-guys-who-are-sent-to-war, which makes a huge difference: you can be against war but still support the people (= the soldiers) who fight it.

pierre - 2014/3/8 - 18:18


The 2010 version isn't pro war, it is about wishing the safe return, "home for good", of the men and women who serve overseas.

It's also about helping those who return with injuries - http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/ & helping keeping the morale up http://bff.org.uk/ these two charities got all the profits

alister troup - 2015/4/12 - 22:33


I can't believe the comments here saying that the new lyrics are not pro-war. They changed "But it don't seem right" to "Now it's time to fight" FFS.

Uncle Sam - 2020/6/18 - 07:53




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