by Pa Rock
History Teacher
There are perhaps three distinct pieces of writing, one poem and two songs, that form the lyrical backdrop of World War I, at least from an American perspective. The poem, "In Flanders Fields," was penned by a Canadian physician and describes a cemetery for Allied Troops in the fields of the Flanders area of Belgium, where poppies blow between the crosses, row on row. I remember being very moved by the poem when I first came across it in a high school literature class. I highlighted "In Flanders Fields" in this space in 2010.
"Mademoiselle from Armentieres" (hinky, dinky parley-vous) originated somewhere back around the 1840's and the composer of the song is unknown. It did however, reach its height of popularity during World War I, and many American doughboys who were stationed in France returned home singing it's various verses.
Another song which became a hit with the troops and the American public was written by George M. Cohen specifically to inspire a patriotic fervor for the United States entry into the war effort. Cohen published "Over There" in 1917 just as our troops were deploying to engage in the Great War, and it became a musical standard for America's part in the war effort. Everybody quickly learned the words, and it sold more than two million copies in sheet music.
Here is how George M. Cohen inspired a nation to war:
Over There
by George M. Cohen
Johnny, get your gun, get your gun, get your gun.
Take it on the run, on the run, on the run.
Hear them calling you and me,
Every Son of Liberty.
Hurry right away, no delay, go today.
Make your Daddy glad to have had such a lad.
Tell your sweetheart not to pine,
To be proud her boy's in line.
Johnny, get your gun, get your gun, get your gun.
Johnny, show the "Hun" you're a son-of-a-gun.
Hoist the flag and let her fly
Yankee Doodle do or die.
Pack your little kit, show your grit, do your bit.
Yankee to the ranks from the towns and the tanks.
Make your mother proud of you
And the old red-white-and-blue.
Chorus:
Over there, over there,
Send the word, send the word over there
That the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming
The drums rum-summing everywhere.
So prepare, say a prayer
Send the word, send the word to beware -
We'll be over, we're coming over,
And we won't come back till it's over, over there.
And for a look at the darker side of the bloody conflict that eventually became known as World War I, I again recommend "Johnny Got His Gun," a novel about the savagery of war by Dalton Trumbo. Read it if you dare!
History Teacher
There are perhaps three distinct pieces of writing, one poem and two songs, that form the lyrical backdrop of World War I, at least from an American perspective. The poem, "In Flanders Fields," was penned by a Canadian physician and describes a cemetery for Allied Troops in the fields of the Flanders area of Belgium, where poppies blow between the crosses, row on row. I remember being very moved by the poem when I first came across it in a high school literature class. I highlighted "In Flanders Fields" in this space in 2010.
"Mademoiselle from Armentieres" (hinky, dinky parley-vous) originated somewhere back around the 1840's and the composer of the song is unknown. It did however, reach its height of popularity during World War I, and many American doughboys who were stationed in France returned home singing it's various verses.
Another song which became a hit with the troops and the American public was written by George M. Cohen specifically to inspire a patriotic fervor for the United States entry into the war effort. Cohen published "Over There" in 1917 just as our troops were deploying to engage in the Great War, and it became a musical standard for America's part in the war effort. Everybody quickly learned the words, and it sold more than two million copies in sheet music.
Here is how George M. Cohen inspired a nation to war:
Over There
by George M. Cohen
Johnny, get your gun, get your gun, get your gun.
Take it on the run, on the run, on the run.
Hear them calling you and me,
Every Son of Liberty.
Hurry right away, no delay, go today.
Make your Daddy glad to have had such a lad.
Tell your sweetheart not to pine,
To be proud her boy's in line.
Johnny, get your gun, get your gun, get your gun.
Johnny, show the "Hun" you're a son-of-a-gun.
Hoist the flag and let her fly
Yankee Doodle do or die.
Pack your little kit, show your grit, do your bit.
Yankee to the ranks from the towns and the tanks.
Make your mother proud of you
And the old red-white-and-blue.
Chorus:
Over there, over there,
Send the word, send the word over there
That the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming
The drums rum-summing everywhere.
So prepare, say a prayer
Send the word, send the word to beware -
We'll be over, we're coming over,
And we won't come back till it's over, over there.
And for a look at the darker side of the bloody conflict that eventually became known as World War I, I again recommend "Johnny Got His Gun," a novel about the savagery of war by Dalton Trumbo. Read it if you dare!
No comments:
Post a Comment