The Princess Pat

Now here's an interesting story! One of the most popular Canadian Girl Guide echo songs is the famous "Princess Pat". But this song has a lot of history attached to it that most folks are completely unaware of. Did you know that the Princess Pat Light Infantry Unit is a part of the Canadian Armed Forces? Or that they have a long and honoured tradition within our military? Or that the song we Guides sing is actually a much modified version of their regimental marching song?

I am generally not much of a fan of "banning" the singing of certain songs. However in this case, and after you've read the story below, perhaps you'll change your mind about singing "The Princess Pat" at your next campfire. It is one of the few songs I no longer sing myself, out of respect. I, too, am an army brat.

Thanks very, very much to Kathy P., who supplied me with this piece of Canadian history.

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The Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Unit, currently stationed in Edmonton, AB, do NOT like us singing their song in either the corrupted or the correct version. Some of the real verses are not suitable for singing to our girls anyway - it's a soldiers' song, remember. They view this song about as kindly as we would a crazy parody of the World Song - and it does bear enough resemblance to the original that it is easily recognizable.

The problem with the song as we sing it is that we don't change it enough. The song is about their Regimental Colours (called "the Ric-A-Dam-Doo") which were actually handmade by Princess Patricia of Connaught herself, granddaughter to Queen Victoria, daughter of our (then) Governor General and Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment. It regales the exploits of the Regiment since it's inception.

The PPCLI is a regiment that was formed by private funding in 1914 to fight in WWI. They continue to this day to be an active regiment having won many battle honours and serving us both in war and in peace as part of Canada's peacekeeping forces. The Princess Pat's are on active duty at this moment. In fact, those four Canadians who were killed recently by US “friendly fire” were members of the Princess Pat’s.

If you have ever known anyone in the military, you will know that the Honour of the Regiment is very dear to their heart - and is in fact essential in keeping the spirit in horrible situations that we could never imagine. Instead of just using the tune to write our own totally non-related words, which probably wouldn't bother them, we have taken the words of their story that they are very proud of (even though poking fun at themselves) and corrupted them until they have reached the level of a joke - most especially disgracing the Honour of the Ric-A-Dam-Doo by calling it a "Ricky Bamboo" and muddling up the colours. It is red, gold and royal blue by the way.

Imagine if somebody had taken the words and music to O Canada or God Save the Queen. A parody using the music only would be recognizable as simply that, no problem - but imagine if they actually kept most of the words and changed them just enough that it seemed as if they were making fun of our Queen and country (and us as well). How would it make you feel? For those of you in countries other than Canada, think of this in relation to your own special songs or proud regiments - imagine “Hail to the Thief” for example.

Would you do it to these songs and then shrug off those who are offended by it? No, but we do it to the PPCLI on a regular basis. These are men who were responsible for fighting for our freedom and peace, surely we can treat them with a little more respect. We owe them better. Since its creation in 1914, the PPCLI has been continuously in the order of battle of the regular Canadian Army, and verses have been added to the song to match each phase of that long career. The version below represents the song as it would have been sung circa WWII. I don't have any of the more modern verses, but these are the ones that are corrupted for the version that the Guides tend to sing.

I won’t apologize for its political incorrectness because of the time and circumstance of the writing of the song. That is the way things were for them then - and anyway, we don’t seem to care about our own political incorrectness in singing it.

The Ric-A-Dam-Doo
(aka the Princess Pats)

The Princess Pat's Battalion

They sailed across the Herring Pond,

They sailed across the Channel too,

And landed there with the Ric-A-Dam-Doo

Dam-Doo, Dam-Doo.

The Princess Pat's Battalion Scouts

They never knew their whereabouts.

If there's a pub within a mile or two,

You'll find them there with the Ric-A-Dam-Doo,

Dam-Doo, Dam-Doo.

The Lewis Guns are always true

To every call of the Ric-A-Dam-Doo.

They're always there with a burst or two

Whenever they see the Ric-A-Dam-Doo,

Dam-Doo, Dam-Doo.

The Bombers of the Princess Pat's

Are scared of naught, excepting rats,

They're full of pep and dynamite too,

They'd never lose the Ric-A-Dam-Doo,

Dam-Doo, Dam-Doo.

The Transport of the Princess Pat's

Are all dressed up in Stetson hats.

They shine their brass and limbers too

I believe they'd shine the Ric-A-Dam-Doo,

Dam-Doo, Dam-Doo.

Old Number Three, our company

We must fall in ten times a day.

If we fell out 'twould never do

For then we’d lose the Ric-A-Dam-Doo,

Dam-Doo, Dam-Doo.

Old Charlie S., our Major dear,

Who always buys us rum and beer,

If there's a trench in a mile or two

You'll find him there with the Ric-A-Dam-Doo,

Dam-Doo, Dam-Doo.

Old Ackity-Ack, our Colonel grand,

The leader of this noble band,

He'd go to Hell and charge right through

Before he'd lose the Ric-A-Dam-Doo,

Dam-Doo, Dam-Doo.

Old Hammy Gault, our first PP,

He led this band across the sea,

He'd lose an arm, or leg or two

Before he'd lose the Ric-A-Dam-Doo,

Dam-Doo, Dam-Doo.

And then we came to Sicily.

We leapt ashore with vim and glee.

The Colonel said the Wops are through

Let's chase the Hun with the Ric-A-Dam-Doo,

Dam-Doo, Dam-Doo.

The Ric-A-Dam-Doo, pray what is that?

'Twas made at home by Princess Pat,

It's Red and Gold and Royal Blue,

That's what we call the Ric-A-Dam-Doo,

Dam-Doo, Dam-Doo.

Notes:

While the words themselves are of a humorous reference to various aspects of the Regiment (that is their prerogative), one can still hear the pride and protection for the Ric-A-Dam-Doo. As in any family, they are allowed to make fun of their own members - but heaven help the outsider who does the same. If people like the tune, the best idea would be to write their own song to fit (and many songs do use that tune) but remove any and all references that would link it to the actual Ric-A-Dam-Doo version. That way, everyone would be happy and we could have a win-win with no offence to anyone.

The closest tune (but not exact) is similar to (if you know it): "The other day, I saw a bear..." As you can see, it is close enough to the original in essence that we have corrupted their song rather than just use the tune for our own invented song. The thing is, it is their song and they are offended by us singing it the way we do, so who are we to say to them that it doesn't matter? It does.

With all the songs out there to sing do we really need to continue this one?

The Princess Pat
(leader sings one line, others repeat)
(actions in brackets)

The Princess Pat (egyptian pose)

Light infantry (salute)

They sailed across (wave motion in front of body with one hand)

The seven seas (number 7 with your finger, then make a "C" with one hand)

They sailed across (wave motion)

The channel two (two hands tracing a channel, then number 2 on one hand)

And took with them (throw a sack over your shoulder)

A rick-a-bamboo! (trace a wavy figure in front of you going down, bend knees as you go)

A rick-a-bamboo (same as before)

Now what is that? (shrug shoulders, hold out hands)

It's something made (bang one fist on top of the other)

For the Princess Pat (egyptian pose)

It's red and gold ("twirl" one arm down by your hip)

And purple too (flip hands as if you were saying "Oh my gosh!")

That's why it's called (cup hands in front of mouth, shout)

A rick-a-bamboo! (same as before)

Now Captain Dan (salute)

And his loyal crew (salute several times)

They sailed across (wave action)

The channel two (same as before)

But their ship sank (plug nose, one hand over head and waving as you bend knees)

And yours will too (point to others in the circle)

Unless you take (throw an invisible bag over your shoulder)

A rick-a-bamboo! (same as before)

A rick-a-bamboo (same as before)

Now what is that? (shrug shoulders, hold out hands)

It's something made (bang one fist on top of the other)

For the Princess Pat (egyptian pose)

It's red and gold ("twirl" one arm down by your hip)

And purple too (flip hands as if you were saying "Oh my gosh!")

That's why it's called (cup hands in front of mouth, shout)

(everyone together) A rick-a-bamboo! (same as before)