Re enlistment blues lyrics
by Merle Travis



Here's a ... the one he suggested is a song I done in a picture called
"From Here To Maternity"... "From Here To Eternity"
If ya sneezed, you missed my part.
The stars of the picture were Burt Lancaster,
Deborah Kerr, Montgomery Clift, and Frank Sanitary ... or Sinatra.
And, ah ... I sung the song "Re-Enlistment Blues" that you requested.
We'll ... It'd take all night to sing all of it, but we'll give you a little bit of the
"Re-Enlistment Blues" and maybe you remember it.
If you don't remember me, why, the chances are you will recall the picture.
Here's "Re-Enlistment Blues".

My hitch was up Monday
Ain't a dog soldier no more
I ain't a soldier no more
They gimme me all that money
So much my pockets are sore
Oh my pockets are sore
More dough than I can use
Re-enlistment blues

Took my dough to town Tuesday
Found me a big feather bed
Found a big double bed
I'll find a job tomorrow
Tonight I'll sleep like I'm dead
Gonna sleep like I'm dead
And get up when I choose
Re-enlistment blues

Well I hit the bars Wednesday
Made me some friends on my own
Lotta friends on my own
Found a pretty baby
She wouldn't leave me alone
She wouldn't leave me alone
She kept me buyin' booze
Re-enlistment blues

That jail was cold Saturday
Just like the people in town
All the people in town
They ain't got time to know ya
Just time to shove you way down
They'll throw you way down
Only one thing left to choose
Re-enlistment blues

Now short-timers'll tell ya
Don't you get throwed in the can
Don't get throwed in the can
You might as well be dead
Or be a thirty-year man
Thirty-year man
They always seem to lose
Re-entlistment blues

Recruitin' crews
Gimme the blues
Re-enlistment blues


Thanks to Rena-Marie Kyler for her transcription
Thanks to Antoon Galle for his contribution