Pack up your Troubles in your Old Kit-bag
Pack up your Troubles in your Old Kit-bag
Original Text
For Me and My Gal and Other Favorite Song Hits, 1915-1917, ed. David A. Jasen (New York: Dover, 1994): 83-87.
2 With a smile, a funny smile.
4 With a smile, a funny smile.
6He can't be suppress'd.
7All the other fellows have to grin
8When he gets this off his chest, Hi!
10 And smile, smile, smile,
12 Smile, boys, that's the style.
13 What's the use of worrying?
14 It never was worth while, so
15 Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
16 And smile, smile, smile.
17Private Perks went a-marching into Flanders
18 With his smile, his funny smile.
19He was lov'd by the privates and commanders
20 For his smile, his funny smile.
22With a mighty swing,
23Perks yell'd out, "This little bunch is mine!
24Keep your heads down, boys and sing, Hi!
25 Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
26 And smile, smile, smile,
27 While you've a lucifer to light your fag,
28 Smile, boys, that's the style.
29 What's the use of worrying?
30 It never was worth while, so
31 Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
32 And smile, smile, smile.
33Private Perks he came back from Bosche-shooting
34 With his smile, his funny smile.
35Round his home he then set about recruiting
36 With his smile, his funny smile.
37He told all his pals, the short, the tall,
38What a time he'd had;
39And as each enlisted like a man
40Private Perks said 'Now my lad,' Hi!
41 Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
42 And smile, smile, smile,
43 While you've a lucifer to light your fag,
44 Smile, boys, that's the style.
45 What's the use of worrying?
46 It never was worth while, so
47 Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
48 And smile, smile, smile.
Notes
1] Perks: a "species of dishonesty ... which is a convenient abbreviation of the word ‘perquisites’... It applies to such unconsidered trifles as wax candle ends, and may cover the larcenous abstraction by our man-servant of forgotten coats and vests" (OED, "perk," n. 2, first quotation, dated 1869).
codger: chap. Back to Line
codger: chap. Back to Line
3] dodger: crafty fellow. Back to Line
5] Flush: with money to burn. Back to Line
9] kit-bag: "a stout bag in which to carry a soldier's or traveller's kit" (OED, "kit," n. 1). Back to Line
11] lucifer: match. fag: cigarette. Back to Line
21] Bosches: Boches, the French soldiers' name for a German. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1915
Publication Notes
George Asaf (lyrics) and Felix Powell (music), Pack up your Troubles in your Old Kit-bag and Smile, Smile, Smile! (New York: Chappell, 1915). See IN-Harmony: Sheet Music from Indiana, ID no. LL-SDV-262003.
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2010
Rhyme
Form