Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy was a song made popular by the Andrews Sisters during World War II.

The Andrew Sisters

The song was written by Don Raye and Hughie Prince.

The Andrews Sisters first performed the song in the 1941 Abbott and Costello movie “Buck Privates”.  The song was nominated that year for the Academy Award for Best Original Song but lost to “The Last Time I Saw Paris”.

Although the United States did not enter into the war until the end of 1941, there was actually a peacetime draft, the first in American history, which was enacted in 1940. Every male between the ages of 21-35 had to register and draftees were chosen by a lottery pool for a twelve month trainig period.

Articles published in the 1943 Stars & Stripes, credits Clarence Zylman of Muskegon, Michigan as the original Boogie Woogie Bugler. While many aspects of the song match his life, he did not enlist in the Army until June 1942.

Harry L. Gish, Jr. also claimed to be the inspiration for the song. We may never know for sure where the rue inspiration rose.

Bette Midler recorded a version of the song in 1972. Others to record the song include Marie Osmond, the von Trapp Children, and Pentatonix.

The song has been performed in numerous TV shows including Sesame Street, A Different World, The Simpsons, Mama’s Family, Outlander and movies The Shining and Pitch Perfect 2.

In 1972, the song ranged #6 on Songs of the Century.