Boots (poem): Difference between revisions
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"'''Boots'''" is a poem by English author and poet [[Rudyard Kipling]] (1865–1936). It was first published in 1903, in his collection ''[[The Five Nations]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/rg_boots1.htm |title="Boots" (Infantry Column of the Earlier War) |first=Mary |last=Hamer |website=[[The Kipling Society]] |access-date=3 April 2017}}</ref> |
"'''Boots'''" is a poem by English author and poet [[Rudyard Kipling]] (1865–1936). It was first published in 1903, in his collection ''[[The Five Nations]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/rg_boots1.htm |title="Boots" (Infantry Column of the Earlier War) |first=Mary |last=Hamer |website=[[The Kipling Society]] |access-date=3 April 2017}}</ref> |
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"Boots" imagines the repetitive thoughts of a British Army |
"Boots" imagines the repetitive thoughts of a British Army [[Infantry|infantryman]] marching in South Africa during the [[Second Boer War]]. It has been said that if the first four words in each line are read at the rate of two words to the second, that gives the time to which a British foot soldier was accustomed to march.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924013494228 |title=A Handbook to the Poetry of Rudyard Kipling |first=Ralph |last=Durand |year=1914 |publisher=[[Doubleday, Page & Co.]] |access-date=3 April 2017}}</ref> |
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==Versions== |
==Versions== |
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[[File:Boots (poem, 1915).flac|thumb|The 1915 recording of "Boots" by [[Taylor Holmes]]]] |
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The 1915 spoken-word recording of the poem by American actor |
The 1915 spoken-word recording of the poem by American actor [[Taylor Holmes]] has been used for its psychological effect in U.S. military [[Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape|SERE]] schools.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Macias |first=Amanda |title=This Freaky Recording Of A Rudyard Kipling Poem Is Used To Train Elite Soldiers For Captivity |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/freaky-recording-of-boots-poem-is-used-in-sere-2015-1 |access-date=2022-06-20 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> Holmes' recitation was also used in the Cinematic trailer for the [[Call of Duty: Black Ops 6|''Call of Duty: Black Ops 6'']] Zombies map "Terminus"<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z0Ni2JIqzw |title=Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 - Zombies Terminus Cinematic Trailer |date=2024-08-06 |last=Call of Duty |access-date=2024-12-13 |via=YouTube}}</ref> and the first trailer for the 2025 horror film ''[[28 Years Later]]'', directed by [[Danny Boyle]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kanter |first1=Jake |title=’28 Years Later’ Trailer: Zombified Cillian Murphy Looms Over Jodie Comer In Gripping Teaser For Danny Boyle Sequel|url=https://deadline.com/2024/12/28-years-later-trailer-cillian-murphy-jodie-comer-danny-boyle-sequel-1236199299/ |website=[[Deadline.com]] |access-date=10 December 2024 |date=10 December 2024}}</ref> |
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The poem was set to music for low male voice and orchestra by "P. J. McCall", and recorded in 1929 by Australian bass-baritone [[Peter Dawson (bass-baritone)|Peter Dawson]]. McCall was Dawson, publishing under a pseudonym. That setting was soon recorded by other singers, but seems largely to have fallen out of fashion, possibly because of [[World War II]]. |
The poem was set to music for low male voice and orchestra by "P. J. McCall", and recorded in 1929 by Australian bass-baritone [[Peter Dawson (bass-baritone)|Peter Dawson]]. McCall was Dawson, publishing under a pseudonym. That setting was soon recorded by other singers, but seems largely to have fallen out of fashion, possibly because of [[World War II]]. |
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== Poem == |
== Poem == |
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We're foot—slog—slog—slog—sloggin |
We're foot—slog—slog—slog—sloggin' over Africa |
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Foot—foot—foot—foot—sloggin' over Africa -- |
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(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up and down again!) |
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up and down again!) |
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There's no discharge in the war! |
There's no discharge in the war! |
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Seven—six—eleven—five—nine-an'-twenty mile to- |
Seven—six—eleven—five—nine-an'-twenty mile to-day |
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Four—eleven—seventeen—thirty-two the day before -- |
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(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up and down again!) |
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up and down again!) |
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We—can—stick—out—'unger, thirst, an' weariness, |
We—can—stick—out—'unger, thirst, an' weariness, |
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But—not—not—not—not the chronic sight of ' |
But—not—not—not—not the chronic sight of 'em, |
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Boot—boots—boots—boots—movin' up an' down again, |
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An' there's no discharge in the war! |
An' there's no discharge in the war! |
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An' there's no discharge in the war! |
An' there's no discharge in the war! |
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Try—try—try—try—to think o' something |
Try—try—try—try—to think o' something different |
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Oh—my—God—keep—me from goin' lunatic! |
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(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up an' down again!) |
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up an' down again!) |
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==Recordings== |
==Recordings== |
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{{Wikisource|1=The Five Nations/Boots|2=Boots}} |
{{Wikisource|1=The Five Nations/Boots|2=Boots}} |
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* 1915{{snd}}[[Taylor Holmes]] (spoken word) <small>[[Victor Talking Machine Company|Victor]] B 55057</small> <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-187752/ |title=Boots |first=Taylor |last=Holmes |author-link=Taylor Holmes |website=[[Library of Congress]]}}</ref> |
* 1915{{snd}}[[Taylor Holmes]] (spoken word) <small>[[Victor Talking Machine Company|Victor]] B 55057</small> <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-187752/ |title=Boots |first=Taylor |last=Holmes |author-link=Taylor Holmes |website=[[Library of Congress]]}}</ref> |
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* 1929{{snd}}Peter Dawson <small>[[HMV]] B 3072</small> <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.45worlds.com/78rpm/record/b3072 |title=78 RPM Record |website=45worlds.com |access-date=3 April 2017}}</ref> |
* 1929{{snd}}Peter Dawson <small>[[HMV]] B 3072</small> <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.45worlds.com/78rpm/record/b3072 |title=78 RPM Record |website=45worlds.com |access-date=3 April 2017}}</ref> |
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* 1966{{snd}}[[Owen Brannigan]], from ''The Road to Mandalay: Kipling in Song, HMV 3581''<ref>{{discogs release |release=12177603 |name= Owen Brannigan, Ernest Lush With Gilbert Vinter And His Orchestra – The Road To Mandalay (Kipling In Song 1866-1966)}}</ref> |
* 1966{{snd}}[[Owen Brannigan]], from ''The Road to Mandalay: Kipling in Song, HMV 3581''<ref>{{discogs release |release=12177603 |name= Owen Brannigan, Ernest Lush With Gilbert Vinter And His Orchestra – The Road To Mandalay (Kipling In Song 1866-1966)}}</ref> |
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* 1978{{snd}}[[Benjamin Luxon]] and [[David Willison (pianist)|David Willison]] (voice and piano) <ref>{{discogs release |release=7665848 |name= Benjamin Luxon And David Willison - Break The News To Mother: Victorian & Edwardian Ballads}}</ref> |
* 1978{{snd}}[[Benjamin Luxon]] and [[David Willison (pianist)|David Willison]] (voice and piano) <ref>{{discogs release |release=7665848 |name= Benjamin Luxon And David Willison - Break The News To Mother: Victorian & Edwardian Ballads}}</ref> |
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* 1985 |
* 1985{{snd}} [[Leslie Fish]]<ref>{{discogs release |release=14835782|name= Leslie Fish - Ruduyard Kipling - The Undertaker's Horse}}</ref> |
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* 2016{{snd}} [[Jocko Willink]] (spoken word) <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLe3CqpAGDk&t|title=Jocko Podcast 38}}</ref> |
* 2016{{snd}} [[Jocko Willink]] (spoken word) <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLe3CqpAGDk&t|title=Jocko Podcast 38}}</ref> |
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Latest revision as of 21:35, 13 December 2024
"Boots" is a poem by English author and poet Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936). It was first published in 1903, in his collection The Five Nations.[1]
"Boots" imagines the repetitive thoughts of a British Army infantryman marching in South Africa during the Second Boer War. It has been said that if the first four words in each line are read at the rate of two words to the second, that gives the time to which a British foot soldier was accustomed to march.[2]
Versions
[edit]The 1915 spoken-word recording of the poem by American actor Taylor Holmes has been used for its psychological effect in U.S. military SERE schools.[3] Holmes' recitation was also used in the Cinematic trailer for the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies map "Terminus"[4] and the first trailer for the 2025 horror film 28 Years Later, directed by Danny Boyle.[5]
The poem was set to music for low male voice and orchestra by "P. J. McCall", and recorded in 1929 by Australian bass-baritone Peter Dawson. McCall was Dawson, publishing under a pseudonym. That setting was soon recorded by other singers, but seems largely to have fallen out of fashion, possibly because of World War II.
American-born British poet T. S. Eliot included the poem in his 1941 anthology A Choice of Kipling's Verse.[6]
Poem
[edit]We're foot—slog—slog—slog—sloggin' over Africa
Foot—foot—foot—foot—sloggin' over Africa --
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up and down again!)
There's no discharge in the war!
Seven—six—eleven—five—nine-an'-twenty mile to-day
Four—eleven—seventeen—thirty-two the day before --
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up and down again!)
There's no discharge in the war!
Don't—don't—don't—don't—look at what's in front of you.
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up an' down again);
Men—men—men—men—men go mad with watchin' em,
An' there's no discharge in the war!
Count—count—count—count—the bullets in the bandoliers.
If—your—eyes—drop—they will get atop o' you!
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up and down again) --
There's no discharge in the war!
We—can—stick—out—'unger, thirst, an' weariness,
But—not—not—not—not the chronic sight of 'em,
Boot—boots—boots—boots—movin' up an' down again,
An' there's no discharge in the war!
'Taint—so—bad—by—day because o' company,
But night—brings—long—strings—o' forty thousand million
Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up an' down again.
There's no discharge in the war!
I—'ave—marched—six—weeks in 'Ell an' certify
It—is—not—fire—devils, dark, or anything,
But boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up an' down again,
An' there's no discharge in the war!
Try—try—try—try—to think o' something different
Oh—my—God—keep—me from goin' lunatic!
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up an' down again!)
There's no discharge in the war!
Recordings
[edit]
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
- 1915 – Taylor Holmes (spoken word) Victor B 55057 [7]
- 1929 – Peter Dawson HMV B 3072 [8]
- n.d. – Leonard Warren[9]
- n.d. – Joseph Farrington Piccadilly 5035
- n.d. – Raymond Newell HMV 109
- 1935 – Eric Woodburn
- 1940 – Norman Corwin (spoken recitation) Columbia 36055 [10]
- 1966 – Owen Brannigan, from The Road to Mandalay: Kipling in Song, HMV 3581[11]
- 1978 – Benjamin Luxon and David Willison (voice and piano) [12]
- 1985 – Leslie Fish[13]
- 2016 – Jocko Willink (spoken word) [14]
References
[edit]- ^ Hamer, Mary. ""Boots" (Infantry Column of the Earlier War)". The Kipling Society. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
- ^ Durand, Ralph (1914). A Handbook to the Poetry of Rudyard Kipling. Doubleday, Page & Co. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
- ^ Macias, Amanda. "This Freaky Recording Of A Rudyard Kipling Poem Is Used To Train Elite Soldiers For Captivity". Business Insider. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
- ^ Call of Duty (6 August 2024). Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 - Zombies Terminus Cinematic Trailer. Retrieved 13 December 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Kanter, Jake (10 December 2024). "'28 Years Later' Trailer: Zombified Cillian Murphy Looms Over Jodie Comer In Gripping Teaser For Danny Boyle Sequel". Deadline.com. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ Eliot, T. S. (1963) [December 1941]. A Choice of Kipling's Verse Made by T. S. Eliot. London: Faber and Faber. ISBN 0-571-07007-8.
- ^ Holmes, Taylor. "Boots". Library of Congress.
- ^ "78 RPM Record". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
- ^ "Leonard Warren". The Gramophone. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
- ^ "COLUMBIA (Microphone label, USA) 36000 to 36500 Numerical Listing". 78discography.com. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
- ^ Owen Brannigan, Ernest Lush With Gilbert Vinter And His Orchestra – The Road To Mandalay (Kipling In Song 1866-1966) at Discogs
- ^ Benjamin Luxon And David Willison - Break The News To Mother: Victorian & Edwardian Ballads at Discogs
- ^ Leslie Fish - Ruduyard Kipling - The Undertaker's Horse at Discogs
- ^ "Jocko Podcast 38".