Die Hymne unserer Englischen Wochenenden
besingt den Herzog von York, der seine Armee immer bergauf und bergab führte und aber damit keine militärischen Erfolge erzielte.
(The mentioned Duke of York was in fact Frederick Augustus (1763-1827), second son of George III, King of England. F. A. was His Royal Highness the Duke of York and Albany from November 1784 until his death on Jan 5, 1827. Due to his lack of military success in Flanders during the conflict which followed the French Revolution he was forever "commemorated" in the famous rhyme "The Grand Old Duke of York" which alludes to some large-scale but pointless activity.)

The Duke of York

Oh, the grand old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men.
He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again . 
And when they were up, they were up.
And when they were down, they were down.
And when they were only halfway up
They were neither up nor down.