The U.S. Air Force (song)

Last updated
The U.S. Air Force
The U.S. Air Force (1955), Robert Crawford.png

Organizational anthem of the Flag of the United States Air Force.svg  U.S. Air Force
Also known as"Off We Go..."
Lyrics Robert MacArthur Crawford, 1947 (1947)
MusicRobert MacArthur Crawford, 1939 (1939)
Adopted1947;77 years ago (1947)
Audio sample
"The U.S. Air Force" (sung by a chorus)

"The U.S. Air Force" is the official song of the United States Air Force, adopted in the late 1940s, and is often referred to as "Wild Blue Yonder".

Contents

Title changes

Originally, the song was titled "Army Air Corps." Robert MacArthur Crawford wrote the initial first verse and the basic melody line in May 1939. [1] During World War II, the service was renamed "Army Air Forces" because of the change in the main U.S. Army's air arm naming in mid-1941, and the song title changed to agree.

In 1947, when the Air Force became a separate service, the song was retitled, "The U.S. Air Force."

Lyrics

Current version (2022)

(Verse I)

Off we go into the wild blue yonder,
Climbing high into the sun;
Here they come zooming to meet our thunder,
At ‘em boy, Give 'em the gun! give em the gun!
Down we dive, spouting our flame from under,
Off with one helluva roar!
We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey!
Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force!

(Verse II)

Brilliant minds fashioned a crate of thunder,
Sent it high into the blue;
Valiant hands blasted the world asunder;
How they lived God only knew!
Boundless souls dreaming of skies to conquer
Gave us wings, ever to soar!
With scouts before and bombers galore. Hey!
Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force!

(Verse III)

Here's a toast to the host
Of those who love the vastness of the sky,
To a friend we send a message of the brave who serve on high.
We drink to those who gave their all of old
Then down we roar to score the rainbow's pot of gold.
A toast to the host of those we boast, the U.S. Air Force!

(Verse IV)

Off we go into the wild sky yonder,
Keep the wings level and true;
If you'd live to be a grey-haired wonder
Keep the nose out of the blue!
Fly to fight, guarding the nation's border,
We'll be there, followed by more!
In echelon we carry on.
Oh, nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force! [2]

Original lyrics

(Verse I)

Off we go into the wild blue yonder,
Climbing high into the sun;
Here they come, zooming to meet our thunder,
At them boys, Give 'er the gun! (At 'em now, Give 'em the gun! now)
Down we dive, spouting our flame from under
Off with one helluva roar!
We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey!
Nothing'll stop the Army Air Corps!

(Verse II)

Minds of men fashioned a crate of thunder,
Sent it high into the blue;
Hands of men blasted the world asunder;
How they lived God only knew! (God only knew, then!)
Souls of men dreaming of skies to conquer
Gave us wings, ever to soar!
With scouts before and bombers galore. Hey!
Nothing'll stop the Army Air Corps!

(Verse III)

Here's a toast to the host
Of those who love the vastness of the sky,
To a friend we send a message of his brother men who fly.
We drink to those who gave their all of old
Then down we roar to score the rainbow's pot of gold.
A toast to the host of men we boast, the Army Air Corps!

(Verse IV)

Off we go into the wild sky yonder,
Keep the wings level and true.
If you'd live to be a grey-haired wonder
Keep the nose out of the blue. (Out of the blue, boy!)
Flying men, guarding the nation's border,
We'll be there, followed by more!
In echelon we carry on. Hey!
Nothing'll stop the Army Air Corps! [3]

History

"The Army Air Force" being performed by the Boston Pops in 1944
"The U.S. Air Force" (instrumental, one verse)
As Apollo 15 Lunar Module Falcon lifts off from the Moon on August 2, 1971, astronauts and Air Force pilots David Scott and James Irwin play a prerecorded instrumental version of the song.

In 1937, Assistant Chief of the Air Corps Brig. Gen. Henry H. Arnold persuaded the Chief of the Air Corps, Maj. Gen. Oscar Westover, that the Air Corps needed an official song reflecting their unique identity in the same manner as the other military services, and proposed a song competition with a prize to the winner. However, the Air Corps did not control its budget, and could not give a prize. In April 1938, Bernarr A. Macfadden, publisher of Liberty magazine stepped in, offering a prize of $1,000 to the winning composer, stipulating that the song must be of simple "harmonic structure", "within the limits of [an] untrained voice", and its beat in "march tempo of military pattern". [4]

Over 700 compositions were received and evaluated by a volunteer committee of senior Air Corps wives with musical backgrounds chaired by Mildred Yount, the wife of Brig. Gen. Barton K. Yount. The committee had until July 1939 to make a final choice. However, word eventually spread that the committee did not find any songs that satisfied them, despite the great number of entries. Arnold, who became Chief of the Air Corps in 1938 after Westover was killed in a plane crash, solicited direct inquiries from professional composers and commercial publishers, including Meredith Willson and Irving Berlin, but not even Berlin's creation proved satisfactory, although it was used as the title music to the 1943 play Winged Victory by Moss Hart.

Two days before the deadline, music instructor Robert Crawford, a rejected World War One Air Service pilot and professional musician billed as "the Flying Baritone," personally delivered a sound recording of his entry, which proved to be a unanimous winner.

Reception

Mrs. Yount recalled that Rudolph Ganz, guest conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra and a consultant to the committee, was immediately and enthusiastically in favor of the winner. [4]

The contest rules required the winner to submit his entry in written form, and Crawford immediately complied. However his original title, What Do You think of the Air Corps Now?, was soon officially changed to The Army Air Corps. Crawford himself publicly sang the song for the first time over national radio from the 1939 National Air Races. [4]

Not everyone was fond of the song. During a dinner of September 1939, Mrs. Yount played a recording of the song for Charles Lindbergh and asked his opinion. He responded politely to Yount, but years later remarked in a diary, "I think it is mediocre at best. Neither the music nor the words appealed to me." Arnold did not share Lindbergh's opinion: he sought to fund publication of band and ensemble arrangements of the song for nationwide distribution. However, the Air Corps did not have enough money to publicize the song, so Crawford arranged a transfer of the song's copyright to New York music publisher Carl Fischer Inc., including a perpetual performance release in favor of the U.S. Air Force.

The song was featured prominently in the 2023 Doctor Who episode, "Wild Blue Yonder", from which it took its title. [5]

Additional songs

In addition to the U.S. Air Force song, there have been several other songs that have been at times used by the Air Force regionally and nationally during public events. However, none of them was ever identified as "the Air Force song". One song in particular, "Men in the Air Force Blue", written and copyrighted in 1966, was for a time in the mid 1960s and early 1970s a favorite among Air Force personnel both in country and abroad. The song was written by Eve Lawson, the wife of Technical Sergeant Lawrence E. Lawson, while they were stationed at Niagara Falls. She initially performed the song locally but soon went on to perform at several public events for the Air Force in Washington D.C. It was during one of these performances that the song caught the attention of President Lyndon B. Johnson who had one of his senior military aides write a letter to her thanking her for the contribution of the song and of her performance. Following the song began to catch a more broad following with performances by Eve Lawson on local and nationwide radio and even an appearance on Liz Dribben's Dialing for Dollars television program.

Performance of the song

Most commonly, only the first verse is performed, though in professional performances all four verses may be presented. The song is often sung at Air Force-related functions, and is sung before Physical Training (PT) exercise by basic trainees at Lackland Air Force Base. Although not the Academy's official fight song, the first verse of the song is also frequently played at United States Air Force Academy sporting events and at other Academy functions, such as parades.

Third verse

The third verse ("Here's a toast...") has a different melody, and a more reverent mood than the rest of the song to commemorate those who have fallen in the service of the Air Force and the United States. This verse is sometimes performed independently of the other verses. The third verse is sung by itself after most Academy sporting events, with the entire Cadet Wing participating after a football game. It is sung in conjunction with Army's Alma Mater and Navy's Blue and Gold, when the teams combine to participate in the singing of both Academies' songs. The third verse is also traditionally sung by Academy cadets and graduates as an alma mater to honor the passing of a fellow cadet or graduate.

Lyrical updates

On 27 February 2020, the third verse was updated to celebrate all men and women who serve in the USAF. In the words of USAF General David L. Goldfein (Chief of Staff, United States Air Force; USAF Academy Class of 1983) this "new version of the third verse...better reflects the reality of today's force by celebrating all who have—and will—step up to serve." [6] [7] The verse's third and sixth lines were changed as follows:

Third line: from "To a friend we send a message of his brother men who fly" to "To a friend we send a message of the brave who serve on high."

Sixth line: from "A toast to the host of men we boast, the U.S. Air Force!" to "A toast to the host of those we boast, the U.S. Air Force!"

Goldfein alluded to future changes in this announcement with the statement "we’ll also take a hard look at whether further updates may be warranted for the other verses of the song." [7]

Final changes on first, second, and fourth verse

On 29 May 2020, all stanzas of the Air Force song were updated. The official announcement stated that these changes "completes a two-step process in which male-only references were revised to capture the distinguished service, the high standards, and central role that women play in every facet of the modern United States Air Force." [8] [9] The lyrics have been changed from male-only to gender-neutral as it follows:

First verse on fourth line: "At 'em boys, Give 'er the gun!" to "At ‘em now, Give 'em the gun!"

Second verse on first line: "Minds of men fashioned a crate of thunder," to "Brilliant minds fashioned a crate of thunder,"

Second verse on third line: "Hands of men blasted the world asunder;" to "Valiant hands blasted the world asunder;"

Second verse on fifth line: "Souls of men dreaming of skies to conquer" to "Boundless souls dreaming of skies to conquer"

Fourth verse on fifth line: "Flying men, guarding the nation's border," to "Fly to fight, guarding the nation's border,"

Changes in the lyrics to rhyme with "Force"

Following the initial change on June 20, 1941 of the American air force's name from "Army Air Corps" to "Army Air Force(s)", to the post-World War II 1947 establishment of the separate "U.S. Air Force", an attempt was made to change the sixth line of each verse so that the last word rhymed with "force" instead of "corps". Thus, "Off with one helluva roar!" became "Off on one helluva course!"; "Gave us wings, ever to soar!" became "Gave our wings every resource!"; and "We'll be there, followed by more!" became "We'll be there, ever on course!"

These changes appeared in the 1972 edition of the USAF publication Air Force Customs and Courtesies but were never popular, and the lyrics were later reverted without fanfare in later editions.

Alternate song: U.S. Air Force Blue

"Air Force Blue" played on TV in 1957. [10]

An unofficial Air Force song, "The U.S. Air Force Blue," was composed during 1956 by Marilyn Scott and Keith Textor, [11] who specialized in providing music for radio and television commercials. It was sung by the Basic Airmens Choir of Parks Air Force Base, California, at SAC's 25th anniversary on the Dave Garroway Show in 1956, and released as a feature in the Air Force News newsreel as sung by Mitch Miller's chorus and orchestra.

They took the blue from the skies and a pretty girl's eyes
and a touch of Old Glory's hue,
And gave it to the men who proudly wear the U.S. Air Force blue.

The U.S. Air Force Blue

Oh, they are men with a dream on America's team,
They're a rugged and ready crew.
And you can bet your boots the world looks up to U.S. Air Force Blue.

To U.S. Air Force Blue!

They know where they're goin', they've set their course,
the sky's no limit in the Air Force.

They took the blue from the skies and a pretty girl's eyes
and a touch of Old Glory's hue,
And gave it to the men who proudly wear the U.S. Air Force Blue.

And you can wear it too!

The U.S... Air Force... Blue!

The Air Force bought the rights to the song and released it into the public domain. [12]

The current arrangement, by MSgt Tom Dosett, has the following lyrics:

We take the blue from the skies and some pretty blue eyes
And a touch of Old Glory's hue,
And fervently declare we're proud to wear
The U.S. Air Force Blue.

We have the drive and the dream in America's team
We're a rugged and ready crew
And you can bet your boots the world looks up
To U.S. Air Force Blue.

We know where we're going, we've set our course
The sky's no limit in the Air Force!

And when the blue from the skies meets the gleam in our eyes
And a touch of Old Glory's hue,
We fervently declare we're proud to wear
The U.S. Air Force Blue. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anchors Aweigh</span> United States Naval Academy fight song

"Anchors Aweigh" is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy and unofficial march song of the United States Navy. It was composed in 1906 by Charles A. Zimmermann with lyrics by Alfred Hart Miles. When he composed "Anchors Aweigh", Zimmermann was a lieutenant and had been bandmaster of the United States Naval Academy Band since 1887. Miles was midshipman first class at the academy, in the class of 1907, and had asked Zimmermann to assist him in composing a song for that class, to be used as a football march. Another academy midshipman, Royal Lovell, later wrote what would be adopted into the song as its third verse. Another member of the Naval Academy Band, Willy Perlitz Jr., assisting in writing the music for the different instruments used in "Anchors Aweigh".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You're a Grand Old Flag</span> Song composed by George M. Cohan

"You're a Grand Old Flag" is an American patriotic march. The song, a spirited march written by George M. Cohan, is a tribute to the U.S. flag. In addition to obvious references to the flag, it incorporates snippets of other popular songs, including one of his own. Cohan wrote it in 1906 for his stage musical George Washington, Jr.

"Forty Years On" is a song written by Edward Ernest Bowen and John Farmer in 1872.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bonnie Blue Flag</span> 1861 American marching song

"The Bonnie Blue Flag", also known as "We Are a Band of Brothers", is an 1861 marching song associated with the Confederate States of America. The words were written by the entertainer Harry McCarthy, with the melody taken from the song "The Irish Jaunting Car". The song's title refers to the unofficial first flag of the Confederacy, the Bonnie Blue Flag. The left flag on the sheet-music is the Bonnie Blue Flag.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marching Through Georgia</span> 1865 song

"Marching Through Georgia" is a marching song written by Henry Clay Work at the end of the American Civil War in 1865. The title and lyrics of the song refer to U.S. Army major general William T. Sherman's "March to the Sea" to capture the Confederate city of Savannah, Georgia in late 1864.

"Godiva's Hymn", "Engineer's Hymn" or "Engineers' Drinking Song" is a traditional drinking song for North American engineers. Versions of it have been associated with the Army Corps of Engineers, as well as MIT, MTU, and various other universities, and is now often performed by the MIT a cappella group The Chorallaries. In many university engineering faculties, military engineering corps and other engineering organizations and societies, Lady Godiva is a school icon or mascot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States military bands</span> Musical ensembles maintained by US uniformed services

United States military bands include musical ensembles maintained by the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Air Force, and United States Coast Guard. More broadly, they can also include musical ensembles of other federal and state uniformed services, including the Public Health Service and NOAA Corps, the state defense forces, and the senior military colleges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech</span> Fight song of Georgia Institute of Technology

"(I'm a) Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech" is the fight song of the Georgia Institute of Technology, better known as Georgia Tech. The composition is based on "Son of a Gambolier", composed by Charles Ives in 1895, the lyrics of which are based on an old English and Scottish drinking song of the same name. It first appeared in print in the 1908 Blueprint, Georgia Tech's yearbook. The song was later sung by the Georgia Tech Glee Club on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1953, and by Richard Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev during the 1959 Kitchen Debate.

"The Army Goes Rolling Along" is the official song of the United States Army and is typically called "The Army Song". It is adapted from an earlier work titled the "U.S. Field Artillery March".

"Sussex by the Sea" is a song written in 1907 by William Ward-Higgs, often considered to be the unofficial county anthem of Sussex. It became well known throughout Sussex and is regularly sung at celebrations throughout the county. It can be heard during many sporting events in the county, during the Sussex bonfire celebrations and it is played by marching bands and Morris dancers across Sussex. It is the adopted song of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, Sussex Division Royal Naval Reserve, Sussex Association of Naval Officers and Sussex County Cricket Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hail to Old OSU</span>

"Hail to Old OSU" is the fight song of Oregon State University. It is extracted from a song written by Harold A. Wilkins in 1914 and is played mainly at sporting events like football and basketball games. The lyrics have been slightly altered since being written "to conform to a changing culture", changing to conform to new initials, and the use of a more gender-neutral version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thunder of the East Marching Band</span> Marching band of the University at Buffalo

The Thunder of the East is the marching band of the University at Buffalo in the State University of New York system. UB's first marching band was created in 1920, and disbanded in 1927. It was revived in 1946, increasing in size and reputation until about 1970. It was known as "The Pride of the East." At that time, it was dissolved upon UB's departure from Division I athletics. In 1981, some UB students continued the tradition of playing music at UB's home football and basketball games by forming UB's Pep Band. In anticipation of UB's return to Division I athletics, a marching band was formed in 1999 and named, "Thunder of the East." The band debuted at the University at Buffalo Stadium on September 11, 1999. The Thunder of the East is currently led by James E. Mauck; and performs at UB's Buffalo Bulls home football games, as well as in other musical venues.

War and Washington was a song written during the American Revolution by Jonathan M. Sewall. To be sung to the tune of The British Grenadiers the verses are:

"Bright College Years" is one of the traditional songs of Yale University, and the university's unofficial but undisputed alma mater. It was written in 1881 by Henry Durand and set to the tune of "Die Wacht am Rhein".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hail to Pitt</span>

"Hail to Pitt" is the most traditional fight song of the University of Pittsburgh, which is commonly referred to as Pitt. The saying "Hail to Pitt!" is also the most traditional and commonly used slogan of the University of Pittsburgh and its athletics teams. The slogan is frequently used in promotional material, printed on merchandise and souvenirs. It was also the title of a 1982 history of Pitt athletics by author Jim O'Brien. The slogan is often used among alumni as a statement of affiliation, including as a closing signature in conversation or correspondence between alumni, and is sometime abbreviated as "HTP" or "H2P", the latter of which is a registered trademark of the university and is frequently used on official university signage and merchandise.

<i>Beyond the Line of Duty</i> 1942 film

Beyond the Line of Duty is a 1942 American short propaganda film, directed by Lewis Seiler. The documentary film reenacted the life and career of United States Army Air Corps Captain Hewitt T. "Shorty" Wheless.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barton Kyle Yount</span> United States Army Air Forces general

Barton Kyle Yount was a United States Army lieutenant general. His most important assignments were carried out in military aviation as a member of the U.S. Army Air Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marines' Hymn</span> Official hymn of the United States Marine Corps

The "Marines' Hymn" is the official hymn of the United States Marine Corps, introduced by the first director of the USMC Band, Francesco Maria Scala. Its music originates from an 1867 work by Jacques Offenbach with the lyrics added by an anonymous author at an unknown time in the following years. Authorized by the Commandant of the Marine Corps in 1929, it is the oldest official song in the United States Armed Forces. The "Marines' Hymn" is typically sung at the position of attention as a gesture of respect. However, the third verse is also used as a toast during formal events, such as the birthday ball and other ceremonies.

<i>The Wild Blue Yonder</i> (1951 film) 1951 war film directed by Allan Dwan

The Wild Blue Yonder is a 1951 war film directed by Allan Dwan. The film stars Wendell Corey, Vera Ralston, Forrest Tucker and Phil Harris. Wild Blue Yonder deals with the Boeing B-29 Superfortress air raids on Japan during World War II.

<i>The Rear Gunner</i> 1943 American film

The Rear Gunner is a 1943 American short instructional film, directed by Ray Enright and produced by Warner Brothers. Previously, Warner Bros. had produced three short documentary films, Winning Your Wings (1942) starring Jimmy Stewart, Men Of The Sky (1942) and Beyond the Line of Duty (1942).

References

  1. "Golden Anniversary (1991-1995)" (PDF). Permanent.access.gpo.gov. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Music.af.mil. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "History of the U.S. Air Force Song". Hill Air Force Base. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  4. 1 2 3 Lande, David A. (2010). "Saved by the Wild Blue Yonder". AIR FORCE Magazine. 93 (September). Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  5. Power, Ed (2 December 2023). "Doctor Who: Wild Blue Yonder review – Weird and wonderful, with a moving cameo from the late Bernard Cribbins". The Independent . Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  6. "The Air Force Has Updated its Song to Be Gender-Neutral". Military.com. 27 February 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Updating Our Alma Mater to Celebrate All of Us - United States Air Force Academy". Usafa.edu. Archived from the original on 8 April 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  8. "Final changes to Air Force song announced > Air Force > Article Display". Af.mil. 29 May 2020.
  9. "Final changes to Air Force song announced > U.S. Air Force > Article Display". Af.mil. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  10. "Air Force Gets A New Theme Song 1957/12/09". Archived from the original on 2021-11-17. Retrieved 2011-08-10 via YouTube.
  11. "Keith Textor". Spaceagepop.com. 1929-07-21. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
  12. "The United States Air Force Band - Air Force Blue". Usafband.af.mil. Archived from the original on 2010-08-22. Retrieved 2011-08-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. The U.S. Air Force. Usafband.af.mil. Retrieved August 2011

Further reading