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Ant_222 Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

When the saints go marching in

Hi all!

I just listened to Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis singing "When the saints go marching in", and (guess what?) I didn't understand this very phrase...

What does it mean, to go marching in?

Thanks in advance,
Anton
  

Top answer

Just what it says-- 'when the good and holy people march proudly into Heaven... how I want to be in their number (I want to be one of them)'. Oh, when the saints go marching in Oh, when the saints go marching in Lord, how I want to be in that number When the saints go marching in.

— Mister Micawber

  • Just what it says-- 'when the good and holy people march proudly into Heaven...
  • how I want to be in their number (I want to be one of them)'.
  • Oh, when the saints go marching in Oh, when the saints go marching in Lord, how I want to be in that number When the saints go marching in.
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6 Answers
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Just what it says-- 'when the good and holy people march proudly into Heaven... how I want to be in their number (I want to be one of them)'.

Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Lord, how I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in.

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Thanks, MM.

But how come the word "Heaven" is absent? Is "go marching in" an idiom?

Anton
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Well, where would the saints be marching? On Earth? Emotion: smile
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Well, MM said they were marching into Heaven. From where?

This phrase on its own is not clear to me.

EDIT: And who marked this topic as Resolved???
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When they die, and they get to walk boldly into heaven, I want to be among them.

It's just understood that that's what it means.

Unless you're talking about the New Orleans Saints football team marching into the football stadium. But the song did come before the football team!
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