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War Is a Science Lyrics by John Rubinstein

Pippin (1972 Original Broadway Cast Recording)

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[CHARLES]
War is a science
With rules to be applied
Which good soldiers appreciate
Recall and recapitulate
Before they go to decimate
The other side
[spoken] Now, gentlemen
This is the plan for tomorrow's skirmish
The army of the enemy is stationed on the hill
So we've got to bring them down here, and this is
How we will
Our men in the ravine (That's this area in green)
Will move across the valley where they plainly
Can be seen
And the enemy (in blue) will undoubtedly pursue
For that's what you depend upon an enemy to do
Then to guarantee their folly
We'll bring bowmen into play
Who will fire just one volley
And retire to point "A"
And then, and then
And gentlemen, and then....
[PIPPIN]
And then the men go marching out into the fray
Conquering the enemy and carrying the day
Hark! The blood is pounding in our ears
Jubilations! We can hear a grateful nation's
Cheers!
[CHARLES]
Pippin, sit down immediately!
Now, where was I? Ah, yes....
War is a science
A breeding ground for brains
For though I cannot write my name
The men whose pens have brought them fame
Write endless paragraphs explaining
My campaigns
Now when the foe see our soldiers marching
Through the lea
They will mount a charge and meet us at the point
I've labeled "B"
And their bowmen on the hill (In yellow on the map)
Will leave their posts to join the rest and fall
Into our trap
Then we'll cut off reinforcements and retreat of
Any kind
Bearing principles of enfilade and defilade in mind
And if all the ploys we pick to really
Work to bring to pass occur
We won't just have a victory
We'll have ourselves a massacre
And then, and then
And gentlemen, and then....
[PIPPIN]
And then the men go marching out into the fray
Conquering the enemy and carrying the day
Hark! The blood is pounding in our ears
Jubilations! We can hear a grateful nation's....
[CHARLES]
Pippin....!
In conclusion gentlemen....
Now listen to me closely I'll endeavor to explain
What separates a charlatan from a Charlemagne
A rule confessed by generals illustrious and various
Though pompous as a Pompey or daring as a Darius
A simple rule that every good man knows by heart
It's smarter to be lucky than it's lucky to be smart
And if the fates feel frivolous
And all our plans they smother
Well suppose this war does shrivel us
There'll always be another!
And then....
[ALL]
And then....
[CHARLES]
And gentlemen, and then....
[Spoken] Now... gentlemen... now!
[SOLDIERS]
And then the men go marching out into the fray
Conquering the enemy and carrying the day
Hark! The blood is pounding in our ears
Jubilations!
We can hear a grateful nation's cheers!
Credits

John Rubinstein

About “War Is a Science” by John Rubinstein

Read the complete lyrics to "War Is a Science" by John Rubinstein from the album "Pippin (1972 Original Broadway Cast Recording)". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Broadway, Duet, Pop.

"War Is a Science" is performed by John Rubinstein. from the album "Pippin (1972 Original Broadway Cast Recording)" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "War Is a Science", explore more songs by John Rubinstein using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"War Is a Science" is credited to John Rubinstein. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"War Is a Science" appears on "Pippin (1972 Original Broadway Cast Recording)".

Visit the John Rubinstein artist page at /artist/john-rubinstein for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.