The make-up, organizational structure, and even some of the names we employ in the U.S. Army derive from Napoleon’s Army.  So it’s always interesting to go back to Napoleon’s Army and learn something about how they did things.  Well.  One of the things they did was sing this song as they marched into battle.  I won’t rehash the history, which this video does an admirable job of telling, but I will say, I think this is just marvelous.  Screw the typical “I don’t know but I’ve been told” cadences that our soldiers run around post to.  I want them to sing The Onion Song.  I want Rangers to sing The Onion Song, I want Special Forces to sing The Onion Song, I want everyone to sing The Onion Song.  Getting them to sing it in French would be a bit of a stretch, and probably impolitic and a whole lot of other things, and, sure, it wouldn’t be the best tactical plan to sing this while, say, trying to locate and terminate Osama Bin Laden et al.  But the blood swooshes around the heart just a little bit quicker imagining our men and women in uniform singing this on parade, at the very least.

I’m spending the day at a phenomenally boring conference on an Army post.  I’ll be sure to bring it up to one of the Colonels there.  I’m sure it will be a big hit.  “Onion Song?  $%&^ing love the Onion Song!”  …Right.