Vera Lynn - The General's Fast Asleep (1935)

A very early, whimsical but very pretty song. There is a version by Jay Wilbur and His Orchestra also on YouTube. The lyrics, as far as I can understand them, follow.

You won't see any big parade
There won't be any bugle playing
Sad to say, no war today, 'cause the General's fast asleep

Soldiers broiled in a mighty row
They've been told they're to fight the foe
Sad to say, no war today, 'cause the General's fast asleep

The colonel's mad and the major's blue
The captain's sad and the sergeant too
Guess this war will a-have to keep
It's enough to make an army weep

Look oh look at the curly head
Time to take him away to bed
Sad to say, no war today, 'cause the General's fast asleep

It seems an awful shame
That his victory won't go down to fame
Sandman's here to dim the light
Little general, good night

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Vera
• Lynn
• The
• General's
• Fast
• Asleep

[djmusicjac]

why do we not have forces sweethearts nowadays, to raise everyones spirits and bring some joy

[laddiebuck12]

@djmusicjac Well, we do -- think Katherine Jenkins -- but they're not viewed in quite the same way, because whole population are not at war, just small professional armies.

[laddiebuck12]

@Eddy2730: And don't forget, there's far less of a sense of order and a sense of purpose these days, whatever the realities may be.

[calihartley2010]

@laddiebuck12 I agree with you and Eddy. I hardly find songs that are so cheerful like this. Most of the songs are loud and only glorify sex and violence. It is good that people like you upload good music like this so that youngsters like me know that there was once a time when music was fun and full of innonce.

[laddiebuck12]

@calihartley2010 Well, I wouldn't say it's as bleak as all that -- and a lot of those music hall songs were very bawdy, though I don't think I've heard one that glorified violence. Anyway, glad you enjoyed it, I love Vera Lynn. I'm sure there's similarly good music being made these days if you care to find it, but it's not very fashionable these days to have a simple and nice song, is it?

[laddiebuck12]

@Eddy2730: No, I agree with you, but we have it easier these days, we've less of that basic need for cheerfulness. When you're well-fed, warm and spend your whole day sitting behind a desk, an angry song, say metal, probably appeals more than it would have to most people of that age.

[beren758]

it is so hard to find good music these days.

[djmusicjac]

@laddiebuck12 call me old fashioned i like this music, and i like the name "forces sweethearts" why change the name if it was era in time? it may not be politically correct the name sweethearts, but i like it i am old fashioned

[calihartley2010]

@laddiebuck12 yeah but you really have to look to find good music these days.Thoese days it was easier.

[djmusicjac]

@laddiebuck12 The point is we do not need war to have forces music. We can have forces music anytime, it can be nostalgic.