Digital Tradition Mirror

Philippinitis

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Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Philippinitis

There's a malady terrific and it's very very sad
For you can't think of anything.
They call it Philippinitis and you have it very bad
When you can't think of anything.
You start to write a letter and you try your best to think,
You sit for half an hour and then overturn your ink,
Then drop your pen and paper and go out and take a drink
For you can't thnk of anything, can you?

cho: It's so easy to forget a little thing like a thought,
     When your mind is topsy turvy and your memory is short
     I'd be a "savvy" hombre and I'd know a great lot
     If I only could remember what I've quite forgot.

O we have a civil governor; he does his very best,
But he can't think of everythlng.
He does what he is able, General Chaffee does the rest-
For he can't think of everything.
The Phlllppines are pacified, not tranquilized, said he;
He overlooked a little thing as anyone mag see -
He forgot the Filipinos, and it's plain as plain can be
That he can't think of everything - can he?

Second and Final Chorus:
     It's so easy to forget a little man in brown,
     When gou start to put an insurrection down;
     He'd tranquilize the Phillipines without a single shot,
     If he only could remember what he's quite forgot.

Now twenty thousand soldiers, oh, he said he thought would do-
But he didn't think of everything.
If native troops are utilized, perhaps can spare a few -
But he didn't think of everything.
We can occupy the Phillppines with twenty thousand men;
He overlooked a little thing; he didn't tell us when.
He quite forgot the date of this, the year two thousand ten -
But he can't thlnk of everything - can he?

A Navy song of the Phillipine Insurrection of 1898-1890;
gunboats were co-opted by the Army to help with the
"Pacification" of this newly-acquired possession. RG
From The Book of Navy Songs, USNA
RG

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!