Marilyn Horne - I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier

American Mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne sings Al Piantadosi's 1915 anti-war song, "I Didnt Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier."

"Marilyn Horne's Great American Songbook"--performance from December 28, 1983, New York City. Leonard Slatkin conducts.

Photos: Various photographs of members of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), "doughboys," during World War I.

Category:

Music

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• Marilyn
• Horne
• Mezzo
• soprano
• American
• songs
• Didn't
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• Be
• Soldier
• World
• War
• Great
• Leonard
• Slatkin
• traditional
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• anti-war

[faunskin]

This is so moving. Its message can be universally understood. What mother (and father) hasn't thought this as they watched their sons (and now daughters too) go off to fight. I wish it were better known today. Thank you for posting it

[newsieslvr]

SO true!

[Antnelson13]

This was one of the hit songs when my (still living) grandma was born - wow

[megmconant89]

@jason200912 You appear to be confused. "Duck and cover" was from the COLD war which lasted from the 1950's-1989/92, and was the result of a fear that the commies in the USSR would use atomic weapons on the US. The gentleman whom you are addressing served in VIETNAM, and this song is from the period preceding the US' entry into "The Great War"/WWI. I'm certain it was an easy mistake to make :)

[FOATKI]

thank you mrs. Horne!

[Posidena]

@jason200912 say your sorry or i will tell your mother whop yo wass

[Posidena]

@Zardoz215 but you should never forget that on this day there are men and women signing up to join the military. and FYI, my father served 24 years. i have always supported MY troops. and to thegolli45 you are right we should never forget. i never will.

[Zardoz215]

jason200912 Yeah... shit like you never change do you? Now all of you hypocrites fain support for the troops because the socialist pig that is the president continue the wars you hated before..

[jason200912]

@Zardoz215 surprised you're sane enough to use this computer without ducking for cover.....sorry i just had to make that joke trolololololol

[thegolli45]

What a great voice, singing such a great song. Imagine the horrors that were to come when this was written in 1914. We should never forget.

[Zardoz215]

I heard this song for the first time in 1968 while doing a history project in junior high school... it made an impression on me to know there was a real history to the anti war issue... but I got drafted and they didn't seem to agree with this philosophy in Vietnam but I never forgot the song.