Godiva's Hymn

"Godiva's Hymn", "Engineer's Hymn" or "Engineers' Drinking Song" is a traditional drinking song for engineers. Versions of it have been associated with the Army Corps of Engineers, as well as MIT and various universities,[1] and is now often performed by the MIT a cappella group The Chorallaries. In many university engineering faculties, military engineering corps and other engineering organizations and societies, Lady Godiva is a school icon or mascot.

Godiva's Hymn is sung either to the tune of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" or "The Son of a Gambolier". Near Christmas, it is a tradition of the Lady Godiva Memorial Bnad (sic) of the University of Toronto to sing Godiva's Hymn to the tune of Good King Wenceslaus.

One Version of the Chorus is as follows:[2]

We are We are We are We are--
We are the engineers--
We can We can We can We can--
Demolish forty beers--
Drink rum Drink rum Drink rum all day--
and come along with us for--
We don't give a damn for any old man--
Who don't give a damn for us--

One of Godiva's Verses:[2]

Godiva was a lady who through Coventry did ride--
To show to all the villagers her fine and lily-white hide--
The most observant villager, an engineer of course--
Was the only one to notice that Godiva rode a horse--

Parody version

A bawdy parody of the engineer's song, known as Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel, was famously recorded during the 1940s by Oscar Brand.[3] It later served as the inspiration for an episode of Dad's Army.[4][5]

 An engineer told me before he died
And I have no reason to say he lied
That though he tried throughout his life
He could never satisfy his wife

Round and round went the great big wheel
In and out went the rod of steel
I'll lay you money on a surefire bet
That the great big wheel is a-turning yet

So he mounted up a great big wheel
And there upon set a rod of steel
Two brass balls were filled with cream
And the whole darn thing was run by steam

Round and round went the great big wheel
In and out went the rod of steel
I'll lay you money on a surefire bet
That the great big wheel is a-turning yet

Then he rolled it up to the bedroom door
And the wheel started up with a mighty roar
It rolled to the bedpost and rolled on top
And pumped his wife til she hollered stop

Round and round went the great big wheel
In and out went the rod of steel
I'll lay you money on a surefire bet
That the great big wheel is a-turning yet

But the great big wheel went right on through
Til the engineer's wife was split in two
Then as if possessed by a monstrous whim
It turned around and mounted him

Round and round went the great big wheel
In and out went the rod of steel
I'll lay you money on a surefire bet
That the great big wheel is a-turning yet

Then it rolled through the streets and into town
Mounting people up and down
Covered them all with grease and cream
And disappeared in a cloud of steam

Round and round went the great big wheel
In and out went the rod of steel
I'll lay you money on a surefire bet
That the great big wheel is a-turning yet

So if some day you should see a wheel
With two brass balls and a rod of steel
Run to the prairie, run to the hill
Unless you're looking for a longtime thrill

Round and round went the great big wheel
In and out went the rod of steel
I'll lay you money on a surefire bet
That the great big wheel is a-turning yet

References

  1. ↑ Petroski, Henry (2011). An Engineer's Alphabet: Gleanings from the Softer Side of a Profession. Cambridge University Press. p. 122. ISBN 9781139505307.
  2. 1 2 "the engineers' drinking song". MIT. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  3. ↑ Oscar Brand version
  4. ↑ Rugby songs
  5. ↑ Dads army
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