C-130 Rolling Down The Strip
U.S. Army Rangers Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴Rangers All the way Here we go C-130 rolling down the strip Airborne daddy gonna take a little trip Mission unspoken destination unknown Don′t even know if we're ever commin′ home Stand up, hook up, shuffle to the door Jump right out and count to 4 If my main don't open wide I got a reserve by my side And if that one should fail me too Look out ground I'ma comming through And if I die on the old drop zone Box me up and ship me home Tell my girl I did my best Bury me in the lean and rest Overall Meaning

The U.S. Army Rangers' song "C-130 Rolling Down the Strip" is a remarkable ode to the bravery of the United States Army Rangers. The lyrics depict the Rangers' readiness to respond to any mission, even though the mission's locations are unknown. The opening line, "Rangers all the way, Here we go" creates the rallying cry of the Rangers, expressing their unshakeable commitment to their mission.


The song describes the Rangers' journey aboard a C-130 airplane. As they roll down the strip, they prepare themselves for the mission ahead. The chorus, "Airborne daddy gonna take a little trip," underscores the high spirits and confidence of the Rangers as they prepare for action. They know their mission may be critical to the nation's security, and they are willing to undertake it, even at great personal risk.


The lyrics also reinforce the Rangers' readiness to make the ultimate sacrifice. The line, "And if I die on the old drop zone, Box me up and ship me home, tell my girl I did my best, Bury me in the lean and rest," emphasizes their willingness to fight and die for their country, while acknowledging the heartbreak that it might impose upon their loved ones.


Line by Line Meaning

Rangers All the way
We are the U.S. Army Rangers and we are committed to our mission all the way.


Here we go C-130 rolling down the strip
We are about to embark on a mission, riding on a C-130 aircraft.


Airborne daddy gonna take a little trip
We are the Airborne and we are going on a mission.


Mission unspoken destination unknown
We don't know where our mission will take us or what it will entail.


Don′t even know if we're ever commin′ home
We are aware of the dangers of our mission and that we may not make it back alive.


Stand up, hook up, shuffle to the door
We are preparing to jump out of the aircraft by standing up, hooking up our gear, and shuffling to the door.


Jump right out and count to 4
We will jump from the aircraft and count to four before deploying our parachutes.


If my main don't open wide I got a reserve by my side
If my main parachute fails to deploy, I have a reserve parachute that I can use.


And if that one should fail me too
If my reserve parachute fails as well,


Look out ground I'ma comming through
I will likely not survive the fall and will hit the ground without a parachute.


And if I die on the old drop zone
If I die during the mission,


Box me up and ship me home
I want my remains to be sent home in a box.


Tell my girl I did my best
Let my loved one know that I gave my all.


Bury me in the lean and rest
I want to be buried in the military cemetery where my fellow soldiers rest.


Contributed by Andrew L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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