First World War Songs: a medley - Paddy Wex

Extracts from six songs popular during the Great War and reflecting changing attitudes among the troops as the conflict progressed:
"Goodbye-ee" - what sounds like the cheerful optimism of 1914 is actually ironic reflection; this hugely popular song was written as late as 1917 by Bert Lee and R.P. Weston.
"There's a long, long trail a-winding" - written in 1913, with lyrics by Stoddard King, and music by Alonzo Elliot, both of them students at Yale, this sentimental song perfectly embodies the hope that sustained many soldiers in the early stages of the war.
"I Don't Want To Be a Soldier": one of many parodies of the jingoistic music-hall song "On Sunday, I walk out with a soldier". Its coarse, black humour was a perfect riposte to the sanctimonious attitudes of all too many of those at home who had no experience of front-line warfare.
"Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile": - This music-hall number from 1915 , urging people to put a brave face on adversity, won a competition for marching songs and became very popular. Its lyrics were written by George Henry Powell and the tune by his brother Felix.
"Hanging on the Old Barbed Wire" : - the verses of this song, frequently sung by ordinary soldiers, are bitterly sarcastic about the whereabouts of others, usually of higher rank, who managed by one means or another to avoid fighting. I sing only the chorus here, it's poignancy in marked contrast to the scornful contempt of the verses. Some officers tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to suppress the song for undermining morale.
"When This Lousy War Is Over" - an increasing perception that the religious establishment was hypocritical was one of the reasons that a number of hymns were parodied by those fighting on the front line. This song is a parody of the hymn "What a Friend We Have In Jesus".
"It's a Long Way to Tipperary" : - This song was written in 1912 by Jack Judge and first performed in British music halls the following year. it became a popular marching song, but it was never intended to be militaristic. It's popularity among the infantry regiments who marched through France in 1914 may perhaps be attributed to the distances those men travelled to reach the western front.

Recorded on November 11th, 2010 - apologies for the lack of illumination and background noise: we'll try to sort those problems out next month.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• first world war
• Great War
• Goodbye-ee
• There's a Long
• Long Trail A-winding
• I Don't Want to be a Soldier
• Hanging on the old Barbed Wire
• It's a long way to Tipperary
• acoustic
• oldfolkiepad

[Kittielips]

"Dulce et Decorum Est pro Patria mori....."

I can't find anything "sweet or fitting" in war, can you?

Love.

Jennie. X.

[folkattheoak]

@Kittielips "The Old Lie", as Wilfred Owen put it. I couldn't agree with you more.

Love,

Paddy

[chuxtrux]

hi paddy. i close my eyes and lean back in the chair wearing headphones. this was an emotional experience for me. thoughts of modern inventions and problems drifted away and i was for a while carried back to those troubled times. war with casualties from diareha and trench mouth as well as from lead and bayonette and shrapnel. my favorite was long way from tipperary but i also liked "smile smile smile" and the others . thanks for such an unusual but thoroughly satisfying song fest, chuck.

[Kittielips]

@folkattheoak

It still carries on though, doesn't it?

Think of the poppy fields.....

Love.

Jennie. X.