Garryowen

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For other uses, see Garryowen (disambiguation).

Crest of the U.S. 69th Infantry Regiment

Crest of the U.S. Seventh Cavalry Regiment

Garryowen, also known as Garyowen, Garry Owen and Gary Owens, is an Irish dance tune (MIDI file) of the 1800s which became the marching tune for the 69th Infantry Regiment, New York Militia, (the famed "Fighting 69th" ) in the mid-1800s. The "Fighting 69th" adopted Garry Owen before the Civil War and recently brought it back to combat in Operation Iraqi Freedom

It later became the marching tune for the US 7th Cavalry Regiment during the late 1800s. The tune was a favorite of General George Armstrong Custer and became the official air of the Regiment in 1867. According to legend it was the last tune played before the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

The name of the tune has become a part of the regiment, the words Garry Owen are part of the regimental crest, and there is a Camp Garry Owen, north of Seoul, Korea, which houses part of the 4th Squadron of the regiment.The Seventh Cavalry regiment became a part of the US 1st Cavalry Division in 1921, and "Garryowen" became the official tune of the division in 1981.

The tune has also been associated with a number of British military units, and is the authorised regimental march of The Irish Regiment of Canada. It was the regimental march of the Liverpool Irish Regiment, England. The Gary Owen March is also the official corps song of Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps from Milwaukee Wisconsin.

A very early reference to the tune appears in 'The life of the Duke of Wellington' by Jocquim Hayward Stocqueler published in 1853. He describes the defence of the town of Tarifa in late December 1811, during the Peninsular War. General H. Gough, later Field Marshall Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough, commanding officer of the 87th Regiment (at that time known as the Royal Irish Fusiliers), after repulsing an attack by French Grenadiers "...was not, however, merely satisfied with resistance. When the enemy, scared, ran from the walls, he drew his sword, made the band strike up 'Garry Owen', and followed the fugitives for two or three hundred yards."

The word garryowen is derived from Irish, the proper name Oein and the word for garden garrai - thus "Owen's Garden".

[edit] Lyrics

1. Let Bacchus' sons be not dismayed

But join with me, each jovial blade

Come, drink and sing and lend your aid

To help me with the chorus:

Chorus:

Instead of spa, we'll drink brown ale

And pay the reckoning on the nail;

No man for debt shall go to jail

From Garryowen in glory.

2. We are the boys who take delight

In smashing limerick lamps at night,

And through the street like sportsters fight,

Tearing all before us

Instead of spa, we'll drink brown ale

And pay the reckoning on the nail;

No man for debt shall go to jail

From Garryowen in glory.

3. We'll break the windows, we'll break down doors,

The watch knock down by threes and fours,

And let the doctors work their cures,

And tinker up our bruised

Instead of spa, we'll drink brown ale

And pay the reckoning on the nail;

No man for debt shall go to jail

From Garryowen in glory.

4. We'll beat the bailiffs out of fun,

We'll make the mayor and sheriffs run

We are the boys no man dares dun

If he regards a whole skin.

Instead of spa, we'll drink brown ale

And pay the reckoning on the nail;

No man for debt shall go to jail

From Garryowen in glory.

5. Our hearts so stout have got us fame

For soon 'tis known from whence we came

Where'er we go they fear the name

Of Garryowen in glory.

Instead of spa, we'll drink brown ale

And pay the reckoning on the nail;

No man for debt shall go to jail

From Garryowen in glory.

[edit] External resources

The Digital Tradition database has a number of entries about this tune.

Traditional lyrics: "Garryowen"
7th Cavalry specific version: "Gary Owen"

Historical Resources

1st Squadron 7th Cavalry (history, song, etc.): US Army site
1st Cavalry Division (history): US Army site
7th U.S. Cavalry Assn. Legend of the "Garryowen"
General Information: (2004.03.17) The "American Soldier" blog, no name or expertise cited, but the information is well-written, complete and meshes with other sources. Retrieved 2004.12.10.