We Must Be Ready
By George M. Cohan
Published 1939

[verse 1]
All the foreign nations are conversing now in code.
All the indications are that something might explode
Seems to be no doubt of it
Troops are on their toes
Uncle Sam is out of it
But ev'rybody knows...

[chorus]
We must be ready
It's well to be ready
You never can tell, you never can tell
In a fight what they might
Prepare to do
They may compel us to yell
"We dare you to"
And so we must get busy
It's well to get busy
With army and navy
And up in the air
Oh, there is no doubt of it
The way to keep out of it
Is just stand steady
But let'em know we're ready
To go marching to the tune of Over There, Over There
That's a tune they've not forgotten over there.

[verse 2]
Uncle Sam is not the kind
That's looking for a fuss.
But if they should feel inclined
To take a shot at us
Talk about your rallying
Should the bugle blow
No delay or dallying
Just Bang! and off we go.

[repeat chorus]