Life, 1919-10-02 · page 13 of 48
Life — October 2, 1919 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine features an illustration titled "Sensations of the Young Man Who Thought 'Quite Informal' Meant a Dinner Coat," accompanying a poem called "Stay with It" by Joseph Andrew Galahad. The cartoon satirizes a social misunderstanding: a young man (shown in profile at bottom right) attended what he believed was a casual gathering but wore only a dinner jacket instead of formal evening wear. The crowded scene depicts his discomfort amid well-dressed guests in more elaborate attire. The poem's refrain—"I guess I'll stay in the army, boys"—suggests military service as preferable to navigating confusing civilian social conventions. The satire targets upper-class dress codes and the anxiety they provoked in young men uncertain of proper etiquette during the early 20th century.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SENSATIONS OF THE YOUNG MAN WHO THOUGHT “ QUITE INFORMAL” MEANT A DINNER COAT USED to howl about how glad I'd be to get my “civic” clothes. But I don't want 'em half so bad As T once thought. Here's how it goes : ‘Cause I know where there's cigarettes An’ pipes an’ prime old chewin’. To have to give my ‘bacey up Would sure be my undoin’! There's many a thing in civilian life, T've nary a doubt, would charm me. But I guess I'll stay in the army, boys; T guess I'll stay in the army! Stay with It It’s fine as frogs’ hair, I've no doubt, To lie abed in the mornin’, No reveillé to drag you out, No Sarge to curse a warnin’. But I know where there's many a girl Who's not averse to kissin’, “An’ they're all preferrin’ a sojer lad. (Lord! what the civie’s missin’!) There's many a thing in civilian life, I've nary a doubt, would charm me. But I guess I'll stay in the army, boys; T guess I'll stay in the army! There's no fatigue and no K. P. On the outside—sure, I know it! oD go it Never a pass, nor a sou You simply get up But [ know many Where the water's An’ I know many an innocent swig That's got a hell of a kick in! There's plenty of things in civilian life, I've nary a doubt, would charm me But I guess I'll stay in the army, boys; I guess I'll stay in the Joseph Ane any a spot a stick in, comicbooks.com