If I Die In a Combat Zone
The U.S. Marine Corps Lyrics
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Box me up and send me home.
Tell my girl I had done my best!
Lay my Smokey Across my chest
Lay my body six foot down
Until you hear it touch the ground!
Ill bet you 5 dollars up to this day!
That when I hit the bottom you will hear me say!
I wanna wear my Smokey Bear.
Yeah I wanna be a Drill Instructor!
Im gonna cut off all my hair!
The U.S. Marines Corps's "If I Die In a Combat Zone" song is a tribute to soldiers who died in the line of duty. The song begins with the line "If I die on a combat zone" which is a clear indication that the song has a military theme. The singer in the song requests that his remains be sent home and asks that his girlfriend be informed of his efforts. He then requests that his Smokey – a nickname for the campaign hat worn by drill instructors in the U.S. Army – be placed across his chest, and that he be buried six feet deep. As he is being lowered into the ground, he predicts that he will say "Oh I want to be a Drill Instructor" and that he will then cut off his hair.
The song finds the singer expressing his deep desire to become a drill instructor, a position that is highly revered in the military. By mentioning the Smokey and drill instructor, the song alludes to the strict discipline and rough training that is imposed on soldiers. The tone of the song is one of honor and duty, as the singer states that he has done his best and is willing to give his life for his country. The song serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers and honors their bravery.
Line by Line Meaning
If I die on a combat zone!
If I die while serving my country in a war zone
Box me up and send me home.
Send my remains back to my family
Tell my girl I had done my best!
Inform my girlfriend that I fought courageously
Lay my Smokey Across my chest
Place my Marine Corps dress hat on top of my casket
Lay my body six foot down
Bury me in a grave six feet deep
Until you hear it touch the ground!
Make sure to hear the sound of my casket hitting the ground
Ill bet you 5 dollars up to this day!
I am willing to wager that even in death, I will still make an impact
That when I hit the bottom you will hear me say!
I will make sure to leave a lasting impression
Oh I wanna be a Drill Instructor!
I aspire to become a Marine Corps Drill Instructor
I wanna wear my Smokey Bear.
I want to wear the Marine Corps dress hat
Yeah I wanna be a Drill Instructor!
My dream is to become a leader of Marines
Im gonna cut off all my hair!
I am willing to make sacrifices and undergo a transformation to achieve my goal
Contributed by Charlie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dieseldawg9144
Marines don’t die in combat they get reassigned as century duty at the pearly gates.
@centuryrvcalendar1079
ooh ra!
@uncivilized_jack5366
Oooh rah!
@draugenofthedeep1535
Fuck that you pog. Imagine pulling guard duty in heaven. get fucked
@JM-nl9ow
You mean sentry?
@bananaphone65
and when he goes to heaven, to saint peter he will tell: another marine reporting sir. I've served my time in hell.
@allenomalley4014
Nice that you got us Brits in there we are not sleeping we are being stealthy like creeping tiger coiled spring. Nice cadence 👍
@themegaforce810
From here to across the pond - together.
@ceesarjoust3794
He's got us ARMY boys posted too.
@dallashughbanks7315
I'm a marine love it