Bessie White was the singer built for exactly that kind of number. Born in 1916 in Muncie, Indiana,
to a livestock auctioneer and a Sunday-school pianist, she grew up able to out-talk her father at his
own trade by the age of nine, which he considered less a party trick than a professional threat. She
joined the band in 1941 after winning a regional talent contest by performing an entire chorus of
"Mairzy Doats" in under twenty seconds, a feat the judges could neither disqualify nor fully
believe. By 1944 she was the outfit's go-to for anything requiring speed over sentiment, and she
treated "Wee Willie Winkie" less as a song than as a personal grudge match against the tempo. She
retired from the stage in 1959, taught elocution and speed-typing (a combination she insisted were
the same skill) at a business college in Fort Wayne, and died there in 1994 at seventy-eight,
reportedly mid-sentence.
Wee Willie Winkie was a pint-size scout,
In a cap too big and his shirttail out.
He'd run through the barracks with a whoop and a cheer,
Yellin' "Lights out, fellas, bedtime's here!"
But the G.I. boys just laughed, "Aw, kid, not now,"
So Willie stamped his foot and made a mighty vow:
"If I can't tuck you in, then I'll tuck you down—
I'm the smallest sergeant in this whole darn town!"
[Chorus]
Oh, Winkie, Winkie, Wee Willie Winkie,
Fast as a jitterbug, cute little twinkie.
He'd chase every soldier from the canteen door,
Till they'd beg, "Slow down, kid, our feet are sore!"
But he'd boogie, he'd bounce, he'd bop around,
Wee Willie Winkie runnin' all over town.
Now Willie had a mission from the Colonel one night:
"Keep the boys in bed till the dawn's first light."
So he grabbed his whistle and his flashlight too,
And patrolled the halls like a one-man crew.
He caught Private Murphy sneakin' out for pie,
And hollered, "Back to bed, sir—don't you try!"
Murphy saluted, said, "You win, young man,"
And Winkie strutted off like he'd led a whole battalion.
He'd zip-zip-zip down the hallway slick,
Click-click-click went his little boots quick.
Flip-flip-flip went the blankets he'd fix,
And the boys all said, "Kid, you're pullin' tricks!"
But Willie just grinned with a wink-wink-wink,
"Somebody's gotta keep this ship in sync!"
One night the General came to look around,
He heard a tiny voice makin' quite a sound.
"Sir!" Willie barked, "You're out past ten!"
The General froze—then burst out laughin' again.
"Son, you've got spirit, and you've got style,
Why don't you lead taps for a little while?"
So Willie puffed his chest and blew his horn,
And every soldier swore a legend had been born.
[Chorus]
Oh, Winkie, Winkie, Wee Willie Winkie,
Bossin' the barracks with a grin so dinky.
He'd march left, right, left with a swingin' beat,
Till the whole darn unit followed his feet.
He'd boogie, he'd bounce, he'd bop around,
Wee Willie Winkie runnin' all over town.
Then came the night of the blackout drill,
The lights went poof and the air went still.
But Willie shouted, "Men, stay calm—stay tight!"
And guided every soldier through the darkened night.
He tripped once or twice, but he never quit,
And the Captain said, "Kid, you've got real grit."
So they pinned a medal on his pajama shirt,
And Willie saluted till his elbow hurt.
[Chorus]
Oh, Winkie, Winkie, Wee Willie Winkie,
Hero of the barracks, cute little twinkie.
From taps at dusk to reveille dawn,
He kept the whole camp marchin' on.
So clap your hands and pass it around—
Wee Willie Winkie's the pride of the town!
Yes, he'd boogie, he'd bounce, he'd bop around…
Wee Willie Winkie runnin' all over town!