cadence
Bill Mullins
amcombill at HOTMAIL.COM
Tue Jun 17 15:41:01 UTC 2014
The military has a special sense of "cadence" that isn't in the OED. It's the rhythmic chant used in marching to help uncoordinated recruits keep the beat and distinguish their left foot from right (I'm sure Wilson could step in here and amplify).
See: http://www.npr.org/2014/06/16/322589902/sound-off-where-the-militarys-rhythm-came-from
_Springfield [MA] Union_ 10/23/1960 p 19a col 1"Most GI's and former servicemen remember the chant:
"You had a good home but you left. You're right.You had a good home but you left. You're right.Jodie was there when you left. You're right.Jodie was there when you left. You're right.
Sound off! One two. Sound off! Three four.Cadence count! One two three four,one two -- three four!"
That is one of the more familiar chants from the "Jodie Cadence," which spread throughout the military service after Jackson devised it to help a group of unco-ordinated recruits learn how to march in 1943 at Camp Barkley, Texas."
Note the differences in who originated the Jodie Cadence -- NPR gives credit to Pvt Duckworth at Ft Slocum in 1944; the cited article gives it to Sgt Herman Jackson of Camp Barkley in 1943. Isn't folklore fun?
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