Mamma Told Johnny Not to Go Downtown (USMC Cadence with lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases the United States Marine Corp cadence "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown".

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

Thanks to the military corps men and women who honorably serve this country. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and those who are who are featured in this YouTube sound file.

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COMMENTS AND LYRICS
From http://songsyoushouldknowbutprobablydont.blogspot.com/2010/10/mamma-told-johnny-not-to-go-down-town.html Malibu, October 30, 2010
..."Navy OCS [Officer Candidate School) is not only run by Marine Corps Drill Instructors, but the best ones they have.

..."When we'd run cadence, feet hitting the ground every 3/4 of a second with precision screaming about killing someone halfway around the world...you really felt like you could take on the world; and win...

Some of them are funny, others are terribly motivating but there is one in particular that is quite beautiful, and in this version one can actually hear the emotion of the Drill Instructor's voice while he and the men chant is moving down the road. In its entirety: (The first verse is interwoven after every verse)

Lo Right, Lo Right, Leeeeefta
Lo Right, Lo Right, Leeeeefta
Lo Righty, Lo Righty, Lo Righty Lefta

Mamma told Johnny not to go downtown
The Marine Corps recruiter was hanging around;

But Johnny went downtown anyway
To hear what the recruiter had to say

The recruiter asked Johnny what he wanted to be
Johnny said I wanna join the infantry.

So Johnny caught a plane out to Vietnam,
To fight some people called the Viet Cong.

Killed a hundred men with his rifle and blade,
Only god knows how many lives he saved.

Johnny was bad and he was brave,
Johnny jumped on a hand grenade.

Saved the lives of the men he led,
But now poor Johnny he was dead.

Before he died this is what he said,
To tell his momma when he was dead

Momma, momma, don't u cry,
The Marine Corps motto is Semper Fi.

Singin' Lo Right, Lo Right, Leeeeefta
Lo Right, Lo Right, Leeeeefta
Lo Righty, Lo Righty, Lo Righty Lefta


It is beautiful, touching and it almost makes me cry every time I listen to it. I think about Johnny's mom crying over his grave when she is handed a folded flag. About the Honor Guard firing three times in precision. About how that took place countless times throughout the years."...

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: USMC RECON CADENCE- MAMA TOLD JOHNNY NOT TO GO DOWNTOWN



bgft, Uploaded on Dec 5, 2008

MARINE RECON CADENCE
-snip-
The refrain is "Lo Righty, Lo Righty, Lo Righty Layo".

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