What Is Blood on the Risers?
“Blood on the Risers,” also known as “Blood Upon the Risers” or “Gory, Gory, What a Hell of a Way to Die,” is an American paratrooper song that originated during World War II.
The exact authorship is uncertain, which is hardly surprising for a song that developed within military culture. Songs like this were often passed from soldier to soldier, with verses being added, changed, shortened, or rewritten along the way.
What is known is that the song became popular among American paratroopers during World War II, particularly among troops training at Fort Benning. Contemporary accounts describe paratroopers singing it before jumps. (Wikipedia)
And what exactly were they singing about?
A rookie paratrooper having an absolutely catastrophic day at work.
