Cinema '76: Illustrated Transcript with Audio

Eins, Zwei, Drei, Vier,

General Von Steuben

was here!

Vier, Drei, Zwei, Eins,

Now the army's lookin' fine.

Hup, Zwei, Drei, Vier,

Hup, Zwei, Drei --

Baron Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf

Gerhard Augustin Von Steuben

Burst on the U.S.A.

One cold December day.

1777 was the year, and his services were badly needed here.

Baron Freidrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin

Von Steuben

Went down to Valley Forge

Looked around and said,

"HERR GEORGE, seems to me your army is kaput!

Everybody's marching

on a different foot."

I'd like to volunteer to

put some order in your ranks

And if I'm successful, Congress can appropriate some thanks.

So Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf

Gerhard Augustin

Von Steuben

Began this fearsome feat:

To make the army neat!

Eins, Zwei, Drei, Vier,

General Von Steuben

was here!

Vier, Drei, Zwei, Eins,

Now the army's lookin' fine.

All in line,

Lookin' fine

Hup, Zwei, Drei, Vier,

Hup, Zwei, Drei, Vier,

He picked out

one hundred soldiers

And instructed them in person.

Drilled morning, noon

and night.

Drilled 'til they did it right

When they mastered

all that they were shown,

They were each assigned

one hundred of their own.

'Cause he spoke no English

he had trouble

cussin' and discussin'

But he wasn't at a loss,

always got his point across.

Part drillmaster and

part mother-hen

And a favorite

of his officers and men

His book of regulations

for the order of the troops

Soon became a kind of bible

With the military groups.

What Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin

Von Steuben

Declared the army goal

Still holds today. Jawohl!

Eins, Zwei, Drei, Vier,

General Von Steuben

was here!

Vier, Drei, Zwei, Eins,

Now the army's lookin' fine.

All in line, Shoes a shine,

Lookin' fine.

Hup, Zwei, Drei, Vier,

Hup, Zwei, Drei, Vier,

Hup, Zwei, Drei, Vier ..........