Bugle calls are musical signals that have
been used for centuries to announce certain scheduled and
non-scheduled events for military units. For those that do
not know, a bugle is basically a valve-less trumpet. Before
the era of two-way radios and other modern technical
advances, the bugle call was a way to communicate over a
distance. Each call melody carried a different and specific
meaning. While it may have been difficult for a new private
to learn the meaning of all the calls, you can be sure they
picked up on it very fast. Hearing a horn blowing in the
morning telling you to wake up before dark, one telling you
it was time to eat, or another telling you it was finally
time for bed after a long day's work becomes familiar very
quickly.
Bugle calls began in the United States during the American
Revolution as a result of the Continental Army's conflicts
with British soldiers. These calls were adopted from
existing French and English bugle calls of the time period.
As weapons became more powerful and the ranges of these
weapons increased, the function of the bugle call became
less and less useful. As stated above, technology has taken
over many of tasks and communication typically associated
with the sounds of the bugle, however; on nearly every
permanent base, fort, post, or camp run by the United States
military bugle calls are still used daily both as a
functional and ceremonial device. Being started by the Army,
they are most prevalent in that branch of service, however
they are used in all 5 military branches.
There are four basic categories of bugle calls plus a
ceremonial category:
Alarm Call - signal that immediate action is necessary,
typically used in case of fire (both burning and enemy
varieties)
Formation Call - signal that units should assemble in
formation, or that they should perform a specific action
while in formation
Service Call - signal service oriented events and routine
activities such as wake-up, meal time, sick call, etc.
Warning Call - signal that an event is about to happen, and
to be prepared
Ceremonial Call - Music normally conducted by a military
band at official military formations and ceremonies can be
played by one or more buglers if a band is not present.
Current Bugle Calls
Adjutant's Call (Formation Call) - Signals that the adjutant
is about to form the guard, battalion, or brigade. This call
is accompanied by drums
Assemble (Formation Call) - Signals troops to assemble at a
designated place
Attention (Warning Call) - Sounds as a warning that the
troops are about to be called to attention (see Position of
Attention)
Origins: Taken from the British Alarm call which called the
troops under arms
Call to Quarters (Service Call) - Signals all personnel not
authorized to be absent to return to their quarters for the
night
Church Call (Service Call) - Signals religious services are
about to begin. This call may also be used to announce the
formation of a funeral escort
Drill Call (Warning Call) - Sounds as a warning to assemble
for a drill
Fatigue Call (Service Call) - Signals all designated
personnel to report for fatigue duty
|
Fire Call (Alarm Call) - Signals that there is a fire on the
post or in the vicinity. This call is also used for fire
drills.
First Call (Warning Call) - Sounds as a warning that
personnel should prepare to assemble for a formation
First Sergeant's Call (Formation Call) - Signals that the
First Sergeant is about to form the company
Flag Officer's March (Ceremonial Call) - played as an
introduction to a Flag Officer (typically an Admiral of the
Navy or Coast Guard, or a General in the Marine Corps)
following one to four Ruffles and Flourishes
General's March (Ceremonial Call) - played as an
introduction to a General Officers of the Army and Air Force
following one to four Ruffles and Flourishes
Guard Mounting (Warning Call) - Sounds as a warning that the
guard is about to be assembled for a guard mount
Mail Call (Service Call) - Signals personnel to assemble for
the distribution of mail
Mess Call (Service Call) - Signals meal time. The same call
is used for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Officer's Call (Service Call) - Signals all officers to
assemble at a designated place
Pay Day March (Service Call) - A bugle call march played to
announce that troops will be paid
Recall (Service Call) - Signals duties or drills to cease
Retreat (Service Call) - Signals the end of the official
day. The call is also used to accompany the daily lowering
of the flag in the evening, and has nothing to do with
running away or retreating in battle.
Soldiers who are outdoors and hear this call should face the
flag (or face the music if the flag is not in sight) and
Present Arms (salute) whether in or out of uniform.
"Outdoors" includes people in vehicles, which means that
traffic on military posts often comes to a halt around 1700
as drivers exit their cars to stand at attention until the
music has completed.
Reveille (Service Call) - Signals the troops to waken for
the morning roll call. This call is also used to accompany
the daily raising of the National Colors and/or United
States Flag. Soldiers who are outdoors and hear this call
should face the flag (or face the music if the flag is not
in sight) and Present Arms (salute) whether in or out of
uniform.
Ruffles and Flourishes (Ceremonial Call) - Ruffles (played
by drums), and Flourishes (played by horn(s)). Obviously the
bugler only plays the flourishes. When preceding the
General's March flourishes are played in the key of B flat.
When preceding the Flag Officer's March, they are played in
the key of A Flat.
School Call (Service Call) - Signals school is about to
begin. (Author's note: This sounds juvenile, but remember
certain groups soldiers attend training schools and classes
both to learn new skills and advance in rank)
Sick Call (Service Call) - Signals all troops needing
medical attention to report to the dispensary
Taps (Service Call) - Signals that unauthorized lights are
to be extinguished. This is the last call of the regular
day. The call is also sounded at the completion of a
military funeral ceremony. Taps is to be performed only by a
single bugler. Variations including Silver Taps and Echo
Taps are not consistent with military traditions and are an
improper use of bugle calling.
Origins: Taps was composed by General Danial Adams
Butterfield during the American Civil War. Up until that
time, the signal of the end of the day was the French final
call of L'Extinction des feux. It was later played at a
battlefield grave site during a military funeral instead of
firing three shots over the grave so as not to give away
their position to the enemy. It was not officially adapted
until 1874.
Tattoo (Service Call) - Signals that all lights in the squad
rooms be extinguished and that all loud talking and other
disturbances be discontinued within 15 minutes
Origins: Tattoo originated in the Thirty Years War by the
Germans (who called it Zapfenstreich). This call was sounded
to signal the end of nightly drinking.
To Arms (Alarm Call) - Signals all troops to fall in under
arms at a designated place without delay
Order of Daily Calls
Monday - Saturday
First Call
Reveille
Assembly
Mess Call (breakfast)
Sick Call*
Drill Call
Assembly
First Sergeant's Call*
Officer's Call*
Recall*
Mail Call*
Mess Call (Lunch)
Drill Call*
Assembly
Recall
First Call
Guard Mounting (when scheduled)
Assembly
Adjutant's Call (parade only)
Retreat
To The Color
Mess Call (dinner)
Tattoo
Call to Quarters
Taps
* denotes optional calls
Sunday
First Call
Reveille
Assembly
Mess Call (lunch)
Church Call
First Call (retreat)
Assembly
Retreat
To The Color
Taps
Bugle Call "Lyrics"
While technically, none of the bugle calls listed above have
lyrics, over time soldiers have made up meaningful or
humorous words to go with the melody of the horn. Some of
these include:
Meal Call
Soupy, soupy, soupy, without a single bean!
Coffee, coffee, coffee, without a drop of cream!
Porky, porky, porky, without a streak of lean!
Reveille
I can't get 'em up,
I can't get 'em up,
I can't get 'em up this morning;
I can't get 'em up,
I can't get 'em up,
I can't get 'em up at all!
The corporal's worse than the privates,
The sergeant's worse than the corporals,
Lieutenant's worse than the sergeants,
And the captain's worst of all!
Taps
Fading light dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh -- Falls the night.
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.
Then good night, peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright;
God is near, do not fear -- Friend, good night.
Sources:
www.everything.com
FM 22-5 - Drill and Ceremony
FM 12-50 - US Army Bands
\◄◄◄Back
to main page
