Papa played a swingin' horn
Back once in a dream
Left it underneath the bed
Shipped outta New Orleans
There's his picture, it was taken before the war
He's singin' from a sheet music score
.."..C'mon along, C'mon along, hear the marchin' of the drum"
Out in the heat and the bugs
Where the Jungle gave way
Came a whistlin' of bullets
That carved up the middle of the day
Papa's eyes is open, but the shutter speed was wrong
All the face is blurred in a song
"..C'mon along, C'mon along, hear the marchin' of the drum"
I heard the marchin of the drum
An' it pained my heart
Heard the marchin of the drum
When the church doors swung apart
The horns was gathered on the church steps
A sound like snakes rose from the clarinets
All along, all along, I heard the marchin' of the drum