Flanders and Swann - The War of 14-18

Flanders and Swann - The War of 14-18

It was many years before I heard this one from Flanders and Swann - you know the one at the piano and the other one with a beard. Not Armstrong and Miller!

War has had its apologians since history began
From the times of the Greeks and Trojans sang of Arms and the Man (!)
But if you ask em to name the best Sir, I'll tell you the one I mean
Head and shoulders above the rest Sir was the war of 14/18

There were the wars against all those Louis(s) there were Caesar's wars in Gaul
There was Britain's war in Suez which wasn't a war at all
There was the war of the Spanish succession many other wars in between
But they none of them made an impression like the war of 14/18

The war of American Independence that was enjoyable by and large
Watching England's free descendants visit a defeating German George
But the Boer War was a poor war and I'm still inclined to lean
Though Sir it possibly isn't your war towards the war of 14/18

There are certainly plenty of wars to choose from you pick whichever one you please
Like the one we've had all the news from liberating the Vietnamese
Or those wars of forgotten countries be it Korean or Philippine
Sir if you'll pardon my affrontery give me the war of 14/18

Every war has its own attraction from total war to border raid
Call it rebellion Police action or a containment or crusade
I don't underrate the late war we see so often on the screen
But that wasnt the really Great War like the war of 14/18

No doubt Mars among his chattels has got some really splendid war
Full of bigger and bloodier battles than we've ever enjoyed before
But until the time occurs Sir when that greater war comes on the scene
The one that I on the whole prefer Sir is the war of 14/18
Yes the one that I still prefer Sir is the war of 14/18

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Flanders
• and
• Swann
• The
• War
• of
• 14-18
• humour

[Air420]

The last image is from the Civil war I believe.

[jonjamg]

@crippmeister

Arma virumque cano..., "I sing of arms and of a man..." for anyone wondering!

[crippmeister]

@BrezaJuanita I always thought I must be the (almost) only one to get that :D

[johngal56]

This is just wonderful satire.

[BrezaJuanita]

Loving the Aeneid reference... :D

[Stuericbar]

Always loved Flanders and Swann when I was a kid. I didn't know (or didn't remember) this one until today. It is, in fact, an English cover version of George Brassens' "La Guerre de 14 18" which you can find on his 1961 album "Les Trompettes de la Renommée". Both the original and this take are incredible songs!

[bodgy]

Swann had Quaker leanings, hence the ironic tone to the war skits.

[kgs42]

Re. the title ..... In Britain I think it is not unusual to hear it called 'the 1914-to-18 war'. One would know what was meant by 'the war of 14-18' but it is uncommon. Usually it would be World War One, the First World War, and, possibly more by older people, The Great War; sometimes even just, The First War.

Odd but interesting .... so many names

[kgs42]

I assume it is ironic but that is well understated ..... if so perhaps it could have done with a little more bite .....