Seventy-six trombones

Seventy-six trombones
Led the big parade
With a hundred and ten
Cornets close at hand
They were followed by rows and rows
Of the finest virtuosos
The cream of every famous band

Seventy-six trombones
Caught the morning sun
With one hundred and ten
Cornets right behind
There were more than a thousand reeds
Springing up like weeds
There were horns of ev'ry shape and kind

There were copper bottom timpani
In horse platoons
Thundering thundering all along the way
Double bell euphonious
And big bassoons
Each bassoon having his big, fat say

There were fifty mounted cannon
In the battery
Thundering thundering louder than before
Clarinets of ev'ry size
And trumpeters who'd improvise
A full octave higher than the score

Seventy-six trombones
Led the big parade
When the order to march
Rang out loud and clear
Starting off with a big bang bong
On a Chinese gong
By a big bang bonger at the rear

Seventy-six trombones
Hit the counterpoint
While a hundred and ten
Cornets played the air
Then I modestly took my place
As the one and only bass
And I oompahed up & down the square

P. Jennings

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