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Echo after me ah

Echo even louder

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The familiar and consistent phrase that the Song IC says will automatically get everyone to repeat after him/her.

Singing while marching has become a norm for everyone serving National Service (NS). The commanders will tell you to start the song on the left foot and end on the right foot for every line.

For example, you should start singing the phrase ‘Training to be soldiers’ when your left heel strikes the ground. When you get to the word ‘soldiers’, you should end the line with right foot hitting the ground.

Looking for Singapore Army NS songs?

When I was in BMT, I had a hard time finding Singapore army songs. So, I compiled one big list for us! We also wrote a detailed BMT guide!

In the following Singapore army song list, you may find some similarities between the SAF and the U.S. Army’s marching cadences/songs.

Psst… We’re collecting stories of your NS life to make into guides for those who just enlisted! Submit your experiences and be featured on our website!

Here’s a compilation of notable Singapore army songs for NSFs/NSMen

Read till the end for the easiest song that you can sing for marches!

Army Life

What better way to start off this list than with living an army life? You can sing about anything – BMT, field camp, and even the cookhouse!

“They say that in the army, the food is very nice
You ask for curry chicken, they give you chao ta rice
I don’t wanna live an army life ya
I just wanna live a simple life ya

They say that in the army, the sergeants very nice
You ask for early book out, they tell you drop down 5
I don’t wanna live an army life ya
I just wanna live a simple life ya

They say that in the army, the rifles very nice
But when you pull the trigger, the bullet fly behind
I don’t wanna live an army life ya
I just wanna live a simple life ya

They say that in the army, the pay is very fine
They give you hundred dollars, then take back ninety-nine
I don’t wanna live an army life ya
I just wanna live a simple life ya“

My Rendition

“They say that in the army, the food is very nice
But when I see Macaroni, I really wanna cry
I don’t wanna live an army life ya
I just wanna live a simple life ya

They say that in the army, the pay is very high
They give you six hundred and thirty (630), then they waste all of your time
I don’t wanna live an army life ya
I just wanna live a simple life ya

They say that in the army, the sergeants very nice
You ask for more admin time, they scold you go and die
I don’t wanna live an army life ya
I just wanna live a simple life ya“

Suggestion: You may add inside jokes and funny moments in the army/BMT.

Training to Be Soldiers

Perhaps the most common NS song in this list, you may be laughed at if you mess up the lyrics.

“Training to be soldiers
Fight for our land
Once in our lives
Two years of our time

[Chorus]
Have you ever wondered?
Why must we serve?
Because we love our land
(And we want it to be free to be free, YA!)

Looking all around us
People everywhere
Children having fun
While we are holding guns

[Repeat Chorus]“

There was one point in time where we were so annoyed by this Singapore army song (same guy cueing it all the time) that everyone avoided singing it!

When the Cold Wind Blows

This song incorporates three different languages: English, Mandarin, and Bahasa Melayu.

“In the early morning march
With a field pack/assault bag on my back (OR ‘With my buddy by my side’)
And an aching in my heart
And my body full of sweat

I’m a long long way from home
And I miss my mama so

In the early morning march
When the cold wind blows.
When the cold wind blows!
When the cold wind blows~
When the cold wind blows.
Cause I miss you so

I know I know
You have to go
So hurry back home
Cause I miss you so

我要回家 (wǒ yào huí jiā）
我要回家
我要回家
回家睡觉 (huí jiā shuì jiào)

Aku na balik
Aku na balik
Aku na balik
Balik tidur“

‘我要回家’ means ‘I want to go home’, ‘回家睡觉’ means ‘go home and sleep’, ‘Aku na balik’ means ‘I’ll be home’, and ‘Balik tidur’ means ‘go home and sleep’.

Now that’s what I call a good Singapore army song!

SAF Berets

This NS song showcases the different vocations in SAF donning their berets.

“There’s a place in the SAF
Home of the green berets
Home of the Infanteers
Singing with pride!
CSB upon their chest
Show them who is the best

[Chorus]
Boom de yada
Boom de yada
Boom de yada
Boom boom boom

Boom de yada
Boom de yada
Boom de yada
Boom boom boom

There’s a place in the SAF
Home of the green berets
Home of the Commandos
Singing with pride!
Airborne across their sleeves
Show them who is the best

[Repeat Chorus]

There’s a place in the SAF
Home of khaki berets
Home of the Guardsmen
Singing with pride!
Guards tab across their sleeves
Show them who is the best

[Repeat Chorus]

There’s a place in the SAF
Home of the jockey caps
Home of the recruits
Singing with pride!
Nothing upon their chest
Show them who is the best

[Repeat Chorus]“

Boom de yada refers to ‘I love the world’.

You may think of your own lyrics for your respective beret colour and vocation.

For example, a Transport Operator may say something like ‘home of the blue beret’, and ‘driver badge across their chest’.

South China Sea

With everyone echoing out loud, this Singapore army song sounds exceptionally good.

“Far, far away in the South China Sea, ya
I left
A girl
With tears in her eyes

I must go where the brave men died ya
A soldier has to fight the front because he loves his land ya
A soldier has to fight even if he has to die
Cause we are the ones who hold the guns
We are the ones who fight the front

(We are mighty warriors of our land ya)
[Coy name] warriors marching in hurrah, hurrah
[Coy name] warriors marching in, hurrah, hurrah
Cause we are the ones who hold the guns
We are the ones who fight the front
We are mighty warriors of our land YA!“

Come on Over

[Chorus]
“Come on over
The war’s not over
So put your rifle next to mine
And we’re shooting down the line

I shot insurgent 1
I did that just for fun
So put your rifle next to mine
And we’re shooting down the line

[Repeat Chorus]

I shot insurgent 2
I did that just for you
So put your rifle next to mine
And we’re rolling down the line

[Repeat Chorus]

I shot insurgent 3
I did that to set us free
So put your shoulder next to mine
And we’re moving down the line

[Repeat Chorus]

I shot insurgent 4
I did that to win the war
So put your rifle next to mine
And we’re shooting down the line

[Repeat Chorus]

I shot insurgent 5
I did that to stay alive
So put your rifle next to mine
And we’re shooting down the line

[Repeat Chorus]“

The best part of the NS song is that you may repeat ‘I shot insurgent x’ as many times as you want.

However, make sure the next line after ‘insurgent x’ rhymes

I Left My Home

This is one of my favourites. The emotion when you sing this song out loud is indescribable.

“I left my home
To join the army
I left my home
To join the army

The day I left
My mama cried
She thought that I
Would surely die

I left my wife standing at the door
She knew that I
Would die at war

I left my son
Playing in the yard
Seeing daddy leave
Made him cry real hard

The day I left
I shook my daddy’s hand
He said that I
Had become a man

Oh wee oh wee
Oh wee oh wee
Oh wee oh wee
To join the army“

Yellow Ribbon

“There was a girl she wore a yellow ribbon
She wore it in the springtime, in the early month of May
And if you asked her why the heck she wore it
She wore it for her soldier who was far far away

[Chorus]
Far away
Far away
She wore it for her soldier who was far far away

There was a girl she pushed a baby carriage
She pushed it in the springtime in the early month of May
And if you asked her why the heck she pushed it
She pushed it for her soldier who was far far away

[Repeat Chorus but change ‘wore’ to ‘pushed’]

On the grave she laid a yellow flower
She laid it in the springtime in the early month of May
And if you asked her why the heck she laid it
She laid it for her soldier who was far far away

[Repeat Chorus but change ‘wore’ to ‘laid’]“

Additionally, you may put in more lines such as ‘whose father kept a shotgun’ or ‘wore a silver locket’.

When the Whistle Blows

“When the whistle blows
Silence everywhere
And the flag goes up
In the battalion square

Soldiers all around
Never let you down
Cause we are the best
In the SAF

[Chorus]
So echo~, echo out loud
[Coy name] warriors never let you down ya
So echo~, echo even louder
[Coy name] warriors never let you down ya

Up in the sky
Where the planes fly high
And the parachutes bloom
Like flowers in the sky

I wanna be
A [Coy name] warrior
Cause we are the best
In the SAF

[Repeat Chorus]

Down by the sea
Where the ships sail free
And the cannons go boom
Like thunder in the sky

I wanna be
A [Coy name] warrior
Cause we are the best
In the SAF

[Repeat Chorus]“

I Hear the Choppers Coming

“I hear the choppers coming
They’re flying overhead
They’ve come to get the wounded
They’ve come to get the dead

[Chorus]
Oh (HEY) oh (HEY) oh oh oh oh YA!
(Oh oh oh oh oh oh YA!)
[Coy name] warrior leads the way ya

My buddy’s in the foxhole,
With a bullet in his head
The medic says he’s wounded,
But I know that he’s dead

[Repeat Chorus]

I went to tell my sergeant
About my buddy’s head
But when I see my sergeant
My sergeant also dead

[Repeat Chorus]“

Airborne

I’ve heard so many versions of ‘Airborne’ that I can’t decide which is best.

“A is for Airborne
I is for in the sky
R is for rough and tough
B is for born to fly
O is for on the go
R is for ready
N is for never quit
E is for everything

Down by the, by the, by the river
Took a little walk
Ran into some terrorists
Had a little talk

We push them (Ha!)
We kick them (Ha!)
Kamehameh (Ha! Ha!)

Into the river
Watch them drown
We don’t need no terrorists
Hanging around

Oh, don’t be a fool
Somebody said we are number 2
(Not true!)
We are number 1
[Coy name]!“

“A is for Attend C
I is for Injury
R is for Report sick
B is for Born to Keng
O is for OOC
R is for RMJ
N is for Never do
E is for Everything

Down by the MO
Took a little walk
Ran into the MO
Had a little talk

Beg him (Ha!)
Plead him (Ha!)
Beg him, plead him (Ha! Ha!)

Got out of the MO
With my Attend C
We don’t need no training
Just go home and sleep“

When marching during BMT, we would sing this to lighten the mood:
“A is for [person’s name]
I is for [same person’s name]
And so on…“

C130

“C130 rolling down the street
[Coy name] warriors took a little trip
Stand up, hook it up, shuffle to the door
Jump right out by the count of four ya

[Chorus]
Oh wa eh ya
Left right eh ya
Oh wa eh ya
Left right left

If my shoot doesn’t open wide
I got a spare one by my side
If that one doesn’t open too
Oh hard ground I am coming for you

[Repeat Chorus]

If I land in the Russian Front
Bury me with a Russian gun
If I land in the Vietnam War
Send me back to Singapore

[Repeat Chorus]

If I land in Sentosa,
Send me back by cable car
If I land in the Old Folk’s Home
Pack me up and send me home

[Repeat Chorus]

Tell my mom I’ve done my best
Now it’s time for me to rest
Tell my girl I’ve done my best
Silver wings upon my chest

[Repeat Chorus]“

In case you didn’t know, C130 is a large military aircraft.

Purple Light (Full Version)

If you served NS and ORD-ed without knowing this Singapore army song, I’m convinced that you must have chao keng-ed all the way.

“I ask my girl
To take a walk
To take a walk
Down Orchard Road
Bypass Mandarin
To Centrepoint
Where we had lunch
At MacDonalds’

We had fillet
And an apple pie
We shared a cup
Of Lemon Lime
I held her hands
Looked into her eyes
I asked her to
Be my valentine

There was one night
There was no light
There was no light
So we used torchlight
Torchlight no light
So we used star light
Star light not bright
So we used Purple Light

Purple light
In the valley
That is where, I wanna be
[Coy name], best companions
(With my rifle and my buddy and me)

SOC, sibei jialat
IPPT, lagi worse
Every day, kena pumping
With my rifle and my buddy and me

Booking out, saw my girlfriend
Saw her with, another man
Scold the man, dump my girlfriend
(With my rifle and my buddy and me)

ORD, back to study
Get degree, so happy
Can’t forget, days in army
(With my rifle and my buddy and me)

Purple light
At the warfront
That is where, my buddy dies
If I die
(Would you bury me?)
(With my rifle and my buddy and me)“

At one point in time, this iconic Singapore army song was banned due to a few obscene words in the phrase ‘Scold the man, dump my girlfriend’.

Be careful where you sing your own versions of songs!

Tiny Bubbles

“Tiny bubbles
In my beer
Makes me happy
And full of cheer

[Chorus]
Your left your left
Your left right left
Your left your left
Your military left

See I don’t know
But I’ve been told
That the army
Is good as gold

[Repeat Chorus]

Tiny bubbles
In my wine
Makes me happy
All the time

See I don’t know
But I’ve been told
That the soldiers
Are mighty bold

[Repeat Chorus]

Tiny bubbles
In my Whiskey
Makes me happy
And a little frisky“

I Hereby Declare That

“I
NRIC RANK and NAME
Hereby declare that

(Today is our book out day)
(Book out, book out)
(Today is our book out day)
(Book out book out day YA!)

(Book out book out day, book out book out day)
(Today is our book out day)
(Book out book out day YA!)“

If booking out doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what does.

Left Toe Right Toe

“Left toe right toe, keep up the tempo
Left toe right toe, wey lo wey lo ah

Here we go again
Same old march again
Up and down this avenue
(x) more days and we’ll be through

(x) more days to book out day
Book out book out day
Wey lo wey lo wey lo wey lo ha HA!
Wey lo wey lo wey lo wey lo hoo ha HA!

Up the hill
Down the slope
Up the slope
Down the hill

Any sweat?
(No sweat, chicken feet ha ha)
(All the way)“

Never Knew I Love Her

[Chorus]
“Eh eh eh ya
Eh ey eh ey ah
Wey lo wey lo wa
eh eh wey lo wa
[Coy name] coy ya

Saw her at the corner of the bar last night ya
Never knew I love her till I saw with the cocktail
Never knew I love her till I looked into her eyes ya

[Repeat Chorus]

Saw her at the corner of the pool last night ya
Never knew I love her till I went inside ya
Never knew I love her till I saw her swim the breaststroke
Never knew I love her till I looked into her eyes ya

[Repeat Chorus]

Saw her at the corner of the gym last night ya
Never knew I love her till I went inside ya
Never knew I love her till I saw her do her squats ya
Never knew I love her till I looked into her eyes ya

[Repeat Chorus]“

Unfortunately, I could not find a video for this NS song.

When I Get to Heaven

“When I get to Heaven
The angel’s gonna ask me
How I got to Heaven
How I found my way here

I reply with a little bit of anger
Earned my way as a [Coy name] warrior
Living my life full of blood sweat danger
That’s the way of a [Coy name] warrior

When I get to Hell
The devil’s gonna ask me
How I got to Hell
How I found my way here

I reply with my dirty little finger
Earned my way as a [Coy name] warrior
Living my life full of blood sweat danger
That’s the way of a [Coy name] warrior“

This is another NS song that I hear all the time but have trouble finding!

Welcome to Infantry

[Chorus]
“Eh ya oh ah Infantry ya
We are the men from [Coy name] Company ya

Got no time to watch TV ya
But got time to do PT ya

[Repeat Chorus]

Got no time to eat chocolate ya
But got time to wash toilet ya

[Repeat Chorus]

Got no time to for IFC ya
But got time KFC ya

[Repeat Chorus]

Got no time to eat orange ya
But got time for range ya

[Repeat Chorus]

Got no time to throw grenades ya
But got time to go for dates ya

[Repeat Chorus]“

And yes, I consider BMT to be the basics of Infantry.

If you happen to have an audio/video of this Singapore army song, let us know!

Hentak Kaki Song

By the end of this song, everyone will definitely be out of breath.

Count by the count by the left foot count ya

“(One!)
Can’t hear your ah!
(Two!)
Shout louder ah!
(Three!)
Much better ah!
(Four!)

All together now!
(One! Two! Three! Four!)

(We)
(Come from a company)
(Famous in BMT)
(Come from a very special company)

(Fight for glory)
(Fight for victory)
(Fight with a spirit never seen before)

([Coy name]! [Coy name]! all the way)
(We like it here we like it here)
(We found ourselves a home)
(A home (WHAT), a home (WHAT), a home sweet home)“

Who knew marching on the spot could be an aerobic exercise?

BMT ROAR (POP Song)

“BMT, are you ready?
(READY)
ATTENTION!
ON GUARD!
(ROAR)

(Start banging limbs in rhythm)
(One… Two… Three… Four…)
(We are the warriors of the SAF)
(Spirit of the bayonet in our blood)
(Brothers in arms, comrades for life)
(Against all odds, we will strive)

(BMT will thrash you HA, crush you HA)
(BMT will beat you HA, toughen you HA)

(ROAR)

Excel! (Through basics!)
Excel! (Through basics!)“

Unfortunately, batches who enlisted during the coronavirus period didn’t get to sing this song.

Either way, POP lo!

Infantry Song

“(We are the bedrock of our army)
(One thing to keep our people free)
(Committed to the independence of our nation)
(We are the men from the infantry)

(There will never be a mountain too high)
(Or a route too rough for us)
(We are about to rule the day and the darkest night)
(We will never rest till the wrong is right)

(From the land, air, and sea)
(We will strike our enemies)
(They have called us the queen of the battlefield)

(We are brothers in arms)
(We are brothers proud to be)
(We are the first, the one and only infantry)

(We are a special band of soldiers)
(Raised to guard our nation’s shores)
(We based our lives upon a set of 8 values)
(To defend our nation’s cause)

(And when our country says she needs us)
(We are always there by her side)
(We will protect the lives of every Singaporean)
(For Singapore we will give our lives!)“

Cheers to our Infanteers!

Specialist (SCS) Song

“(With pride we lead our fellow men )
(Defending our motherland)
(For our future we shall endeavour)
(Hear our nation’s call)

[Chorus]
(Come join us in our worthy cause)
(Come join our training, training to be strong)
(Excellent and ready fighting for our country)
(Specialist marching on)

(We’re experts in our special field)
(We come from every creed and race)
(Overcome adversity, we’ll do our best as one)

[Repeat Chorus]

(Excellent and ready fighting for our country)
(Specialist, marching on)“

Officer (OCS) Song

“(We come from many places, all across the land)
(Of many different races, together hand in hand)
(United we stand, divided we fall)
(Ready to serve our nation’s call)

[Chorus]
(We come from OCS)
(We are the very best)
(Leading with dignity and pride)
(Wherever we go, we will always know)
(Our spirit lives forevermore)

(Loyalty to country, that’s what we all believe)
(To lead, excel and overcome, is what we must achieve)
(Forever strong and valiant, we’ll give our lives and more)
(Never ceasing to serve Singapore)

[Repeat Chorus]“

Hokkien Army Song

I’m pretty sure most of us only know the chorus…

“Aiyo aiyo ai ai yo ah
Aiyo aiyo ai ai yo“

Recruit’s Anthem

“From ah boys to men
Serving 2 years
For our nation, our country, with blood sweat and tears“

From the popular movie by Jack Neo named, ‘Ah Boys to Men’, this song resonates with the hearts of Singaporean males.

Short Song

“This is a short song
This is the last line“

And it ends there. The first time I heard this song, I nearly burst out laughing!

Think Outside the Box

Be creative! Don’t strictly follow the lyrics. Twist and replace words as you like. You may end up with a song that everyone loves.

From so many Singapore army songs out there, What is your favourite NS song?

You may want to check out:

Conclusion

I hope that you’ll find a song or two enjoyable and use it on your next route march! (or even marching to the canteen)

If you want to sabo your friend, here’s the golden line

“Echo after me ah
Echo after [person’s name]“

It never hurts to have a little fun!

The songs on this list are mainly used in the SAF. However, you may adapt any of the songs if you are in the SPF or SCDF. Simply replace a few words and you’re good to go.

Read about “Life As a Recruit in BMT“!

Have a song that is not on this list? Are there any versions of songs that we should know?

Let us know in the comments below!

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