Music of the Great War

Soldiers have always gone to war singing. In the first Gulf War, US Abrams tanks rolled into Baghdad to the strains of 'Rock the Casbah' by the Clash, angering the pacifist Joe Strummer. A string of Motown hits were popularised during the Vietnam war and became soundtracks to the films that followed. Watch Charlie Sheen act stoned (exemplary acting) in Platoon to "Tears of a Clown" by Smokie Robinson. The anthem for peace, 'War' by Edwin Starr being a popular choice amongst US soldiers who were becoming ever more disillusioned with the conflict in Indochina. In World War Two, sentimental songs such as 'Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye' by Gracie Fields and 'Bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover' by Vera Lynn ensured soldiers would not forget their loved ones at home as they embarked on trips to North Africa, France and the Far East. By the Second World War, wirelesses were popular in households across the country, bringing music into the homes of people from all parts of society. Previously, expensive gramophones and vinyl records meant music at home was the preserve of the rich.

Most of the Tommies who went to the Front in the Great War would have had limited experience of popular music in their homes, but that is not to say it wasn't accessible. Music Hall was at its zenith at the turn of the century and folk music was still popular, with songs being sung in pubs and in homes. In the boredom of the trenches, men would begin to sing, often corrupting popular songs of the day. Most days would consist of periods of sentry duty, trench repairs, kit cleaning and eating when a major offensive was not on. The trenches could be reasonably safe if one's head did not stray above the parapet, as German snipers lurked across No Man's Land, ready to take a shot. The biggest threat would be from the artillery barrages which would often punctuate the boredom, as shells would rain down on the troops. The zig zag of the trench system would offer some protection if a shell fell down the line, but trenches could also collapse under the force of a barrage and dugouts, which offered shelter for the men could be buried and their occupants never seen again. Artillery casualties make up approximately two thirds of all dead and wounded on the Western Front and is the reason why so many men have no known grave. It is unsurprising then, that the soldiers made up many songs about the deadly, often unseen, foe.

Below, I hope to introduce some popular songs of the period, where possible, they are original recordings of the period. The crackly records seem to add a poignancy to the music and it adds another dimension when we think of the experience of soldiers in the Great War.

'Hush, here comes a whizzbang' illustrates the black humour which the British soldier has been famed for since the beginning of time and continues to this day. The description of the lottery of being under shellfire is well described. The only defence against a giant high explosive shell was simply to pray. It seems incredible that whilst such slaughter continued, the soldiers were able to maintain a sense of humour and make fun of the situation they found themselves in. Other songs such as 'Bombed Last Night' also describe the shellings but makes a reference to the use of gas...

"Gassed last night, and gassed the night before.

Going to get gassed tonight if we never get gassed anymore.

When we're gassed, we're sick as we can be.

For phosgene and mustard gas is much too much for me."

It is well documented that the Germans began singing 'Silent Night' on Christmas Eve 1914, the precursor to the Christmas Truce the following day. The Tommies also had opinions of their foe across the barbed wire and would feature in some trench songs, often with some rather strong, less than complimentary views of them, the song "Three German Officers Crossed The Rhine" featured the line

"'My only daughter's far too young', parlez-vous
'To be fucked by you, you bastard hun', parlez-vous"

Which was a take on the occupied French reacting to the advancing German with his trousers round his ankles. The song was sung to the tune of 'Mademoiselle from Armentieres', a popular song both at home and on the front line. The Tommies on the front would delight at altering the lyrics to suit their particular interest at the time, usually laden with expletives which would make their sweethearts back home blush.

Sometimes, music would serve as a soothing reminder of home whilst suffering the horrors of the trenches. Some such as "Goodbyee-ee!" will be forever associated with families bidding their loved ones farewell, many never to return. 

It has an anthemic chorus which lends itself to be sung on route marches and in pubs on leave and one can imagine columns of men heading up to the front singing such a song. "Goodbye-ee!" is probably one of the most popular and recognisable songs of the era. Another, "Keep the home fires burning" continues the theme of soldiers remembering their homes and the hope that they would one day return, with their sweetheart's love for them burning ever-stronger. The song was popular in the Second World War, too and was written by a certain Ivor Novello, whose name still adorns a songwriting prize awarded each year to this day. Recipients include Craig David, The Darkness and Adele, which compares rather starkly to Novello's Edwardian masterpiece...

With a greater social attachment to the Second World War, it seems the music of Glenn Miller and Vera Lynn dominates our memory of war music. Gramophones and records were much more widely available by World War Two and it seems music of the Great War has been neglected. Hopefully this has given the reader a taste of the music the young men who can be seen going 'Over the top' in grainy contemporary footage listened to and sang in the quieter moments of the conflict.

The final song is one which the author was taught at primary school on the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the conflict. The song is 'Pack up your troubles' and the lyrics implore the listener to 'smile, smile, smile' despite the troubles. Such stoicism in the face of murderous artillery and machine gun fire and mud, blood and disease would win the day in the end...