In
the United States Military cadences song by marching or running soldiers are
often dubbed “Jodys” or “Jody calls”.This name “Jody” refers to a recurring civilian character, the soldier’s
nemeses, who stays home to a perceived life of luxury. Jody stays home to drive
the soldiers car, date the soldiers girl friend, hangs out with the soldiers
friends, and eats mom’s great cooking.
These
Jodys have been seen in popular movies such as Stripes, An Officer and a
Gentleman, and Full Metal Jacket.
Common
themes in Jodie Calls include:
Homesickness
Gripes
about military life
Insults
of other units, services or the enemy
Battles,
exploits,or events specific to one’s
own unit
Humorous
references
While
obscene, offensive and violent jody calls were previously the norm, they are
now almost unheard of. Previously “R” rated Jodies have been cleaned up and
modified making them acceptable for a wider audience.
There
are currently no “official”female
versions of Jodies, other females who take the female soldier’s boyfriend,
ect…, I expect one will materialize soon. Other
suggested names are Jenny, Jacky, or Jane.
Who Is Jody Anyway?