WWI songs reflect a spectrum of reaction to the Great War, from patriotism and support to homesickness, mothers and children worried for their menfolk, and even pacifist songs.
One of the most well known WWI songs is Over There by George M. Cohen. An article from the Library of Congress gives the song's history:
George M. Cohan, a successful Broadway producer, playwright, performer, lyricist and composer, wrote "Over There" on his way into work. The headlines that inspired him the morning of April 6, 1917, were not ordinary. They announced that the U.S. had abandoned its isolationist policy and entered World War I on the side of the Allied Powers against the Central Powers (Germany, Austro-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire).
Cohan’s gingery song took its opening verse "Johnny, get your gun" from a popular American song published in 1886. He based his music on a three note bugle call. Although Cohan tested the song on a group of military men at Fort Meyers, Florida, without much success, the general public loved it.On June 29, 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt awarded Cohan the Congressional Gold Medal for this and other songs.
"Over There" was first performed publicly in the fall of 1917 by Charles King at a Red Cross benefit in New York. But it was the popular singer and comedienne Nora Bayes who made the song famous. Cohan, it is said, personally chose her to premiere his song on stage. Bayes also recorded "Over There" for the Victor Talking Machine Company on July 13, 1917 (in a 78 rpm format).
Listen to George M. Cohen sing Over There here.
The cover illustration is by Barbelle. See other covers by Barbelle here.
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.
CHORUS (repeated twice):
Over there, over there
Send the word, send the word over there
That the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming
The drums are rum-tumming everywhere
So prepare, say a prayer
Send the word, send the word to beware
We'll be over there, we're coming over
And we won't come back till it's over over there.
Over there.
Johnnie get your gun, get your gun, get your gun
Johnnie 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
Yankees to the ranks from the towns and the tanks
Make your mother proud of you
And the old Red White and Blue.
CHORUS (repeated twice):
Over there, over there
Send the word, send the word over there
That the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming
The drums are rum-tumming everywhere
So prepare, say a prayer
Send the word, send the word to beware
We'll be over there, we're coming over
And we won't come back till it's over over there.
Over there.
***
Hooray for Uncle Sam, 1917, words and music by Della Williams Paine, is another patriotic rabble-rouser with a march tempo. Uncle Sam is featured in many songs. This one is particularly interesting for its invocation of God and how it imagines the whole world singing Uncle Sam's praises.
We are the boys of the USA,
We stand for unity always,
We pledge ourselves to you,
the Red White and Blue
and to you we'll be true.
We love each star and stripe to day
As o'er our heads you proudly wave,
We are your sons so staunch and true
And we are proud to fight for you.
Chorus:
Then Hooray for Uncle Sam
The bravest in the land,
We all salute you ev'ry day
The glorious flag of USA,
And may you never cease to wave
O'er this land of the free and brave,
United all we stand or fall,
We will be ready when you call,
For we are loyal o'er this land
Then Hooray for our dear Uncle Sam.
We give our all to you to day
As soldiers of the USA
And we will loyal be
on land and on sea,
Sweet land of liberty
To thee we sing our songs of praise
And to thy God our voices raise,
We ask thy help and aid today
To save our brothers o'er the way .(chorus)
When we from war come marching home
And lay our victories at your throne
You will be proud to see
the flag of the free
Still floating on the breeze,
So glor'ous will it wave that day
That other nations all will say,
Three cheers for you, the USA
May God your noble work repay (chorus)
***
America Here's My Boy was introduced in 1917 as reflecting "the sentiment of every American Mother." The prolific Andrew B. Sterling had a song for every new development from Ragtime to wartime. The music was by Arthur Lange. Here the recording here, complete with a bugle introduction and martial music. The cover illustration is by Andre' De Takacs. See his wonderful covers here.
A million mothers, yes and there'll be millions more
And while within each mother heart they pray
Just hark what one brave mother has to say
America, I raised a boy for you
America, you'll find him staunch and true
Place a gun upon his shoulder, he is ready to die or do
America, he is my only one, my hope, my pride and joy
But if I had another, he would march beside his brother
America, here's my boy!
There's a million mothers waiting by the fireside bright
A million mothers, waiting for the call tonight
And while within each heart there'll be a tear
She'll watch her boy go marching with a cheer
America, I raised a boy for you
America, you'll find him staunch and true
Place a gun upon his shoulder, he is ready to die or do
America, he is my only one, my hope, my pride and joy
But if I had another, he would march beside his brother
America, here's my boy!
***
Just a few years earlier in 1915 the song I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier came out, with lyrics by Alfred Bryan and music by Al Piantadosi. It was the first pacifist anti-war songs plus it had a feminist bent. Teddy Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman hated the song and many parodied it. Listen to an Edison cylinder recording here. The subtitle is "A Mother's Plea for Peace." Read more about the music here.
My copy has a photo of Chel 'Toy of the Ching Ling Foo Co. What is a Chinese lady doing on this sheet music? The Ching Ling Foo Company was a traveling vaudeville magic act troop out of China in the last years of the 19th c and into the early 20th c. Read more here and here. Although Chinese were prohibited from immigrating to the United States Ching Ling Foo was considered an artist and allowed into the country. He started a craze for Chinese magic acts.
The various issues of the song featured minorities on the cover: Chinese, Native American, and African America.
Ten million soldiers to the war have gone,
Who may never return again.
Ten million mothers' hearts must break
For the ones who died in vain.
Head bowed down in sorrow
In her lonely years,
I heard a mother murmur thru' her tears:
Chorus:
I didn't raise my boy to be a soldier,
I brought him up to be my pride and joy.
Who dares to place a musket on his shoulder,
To shoot some other mother's darling boy?
Let nations arbitrate their future troubles,
It's time to lay the sword and gun away.
There'd be no war today,
If mothers all would say,
"I didn't raise my boy to be a soldier."
What victory can cheer a mother's heart,
When she looks at her blighted home?
What victory can bring her back
All she cared to call her own?
Let each mother answer
In the years to be,
Remember that my boy belongs to me!
Repeat Chorus 2x
***
The boys were sent off to war
So Long, Mother, 1917, lyrics by Raymond Egan and Gus Kahn with music by Egbert Van Alstyne, was made famous by Al. Jolson and it was advertised as "Al Jolson's Mother Song". I can't find a vintage recording but hear it here. Read about the music here.
Your lips are all a tremble as you hear me say "goodbye"
The Stars and Stripes are calling now
On every mother's boy
From Maine to dear old Dixie
They shoulder arms with joy.
Chorus:
So long my dear old lady
Don't you cry
Just kiss your grown-up baby goodbye
Somewhere in France I'll be dreaming of you
You and your dear eyes of blue
Come let me see you smile before we part
I'll throw a kiss to cheer your dear old heart
Dry the tear in your eye
Don't you sigh
Don't you cry
So long, mother
Kiss your boy good-bye.
Oh mother dear each volunteer must say good-bye today
Some leave a love who may forget
When he has march'd away
But I leave one who'll not forget
That's why I'm mighty glad
For you're the only sweet-heart
That I have ever had. (Chorus)
***
Once the boys were overseas their thoughts returned to dear old Mother. There's a Picture in My Old Kit Bag by Al Sweet .
Telling of the strange and awful sights in this war for humanity
He told his love for loved ones so dear
As he brushed a tear away
And through her tears a Mother read
these words for her alone.
There's a picture in my old kit bag, in a worn old leather frame
It's a dear to me as our grand old flag and I'll cherish just the same'
On the long, long trail to No Man's Land,
When my weary footsteps lag,
There's a cheer all the while in my Mother's smile
In that picture in my old kit bag.
***
For Your Boy and My Boy Buy Bonds! Buy Bonds! "Hear the Bugle Call!" was another WWI song written by Gus Kahn and Egbert Van Alstyne. Listen to a recording here. War bonds allowed the government to borrow funds for the war effort.
The call to arms for Liberty
See them one and all
They go to fight for you and me
Heroes we will find them
Ev'ry mother's son
We must get behind them
'Till their work is done
Chorus:
For your boy and my boy and all the boys out there
Let's lend our money to the U.S.A.
And do our share
Ev'ry bond that we are buying
Will help to hold the fighting line
Buy Bonds
Buy Bonds
For Your Boy and Mine
Hear the bugle call
The call to those who stay at home
You are soldiers all
Tho' you may never cross the foam
Keep Old Glory waving
Proudly up above
Praying working saving
For the ones you love
(chorus)
***
What Are You Going To Do To Help the Boys? Buy a Liberty Bond!, 1918, is another Gus Kahn and Egbert Van Alstyne song for war bonds. Hear a recording here. The lyrics
Your Uncle Sam is calling now on ev'ry one of you
If you're too old or young to fight there's something else to do
If you have done a but before don't let the matter rest
For Uncle Sam expects that ev'ry man will do his best
Chorus:
What are you going to do for Uncle Sammy?
What are you going to do to help the boys?
If you mean to stay at home
While they're fighting o'er the foam
The least you can do is buy a Liberty bond or two
If you're going to be a sympathetic miser
The kind that only lends noise
You're no better than the one who loves the Kaiser
So what are you going to do to help the boys?
It makes no difference who you are or whence you came or how
Your Uncle Sammy help'd you then and you must help him now
Your brothers will be fighting for your freedom over there
And if you love the Stars and Stripes then you must do your share.
(Chorus)
***
The super-patriotism of these last songs were not the only kind popular during the way. Some songs did reflect the pathos suffered by families whose menfolk were in harm's way.
Just a Baby's Prayer at Twilight for her Daddy Over There, words by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young, and music by M. K. Jerome, 1918, has a Barbelle illustrated cover of a girl praying for her daddy. Hear Henry Burr sing it here. It is a sentimental and sweet song.
Some of them old and gray
I've heard the prayers of others
For those who went away
Oft times a prayer will teach one
The meaning of good bye
I felt the pain of each one,
But this one made me cry
Just a baby's prayer at twilight
When lights are low
Poor baby's years
are filled with tears
There's a mother there at twilight
Who's proud to know
Her precious little tot
Is Dad's forget-me-not
After saying "Goodnight, Mama"
She climbs up stairs
Quite unawares
And says her prayers
"Oh! kindly tell my daddy
That he must take care"
That's a baby's prayer at twilight
For her daddy, "over there"
The gold that some folks pray for,
Brings nothing but regrets
Some day this gold won't pay for
Their many lifelong debts.
Some prayers may be neglected
Beyond the Gold Gates.
But when they're all collected,
Here's one that never waits;
Just a baby's prayer at twilight
When lights are low
Poor baby's years
are filled with
There's a mother there at twilight
Who's proud to know
Her precious little tot
Is Dad's forget-me-not
After saying, "Goodnight, Mama"
She climbs up stairs
Quite unawares
And says her prayers
"Oh! kindly tell my daddy
That he must take care"
That's a baby's prayer at twilight
For her daddy, "over there."
***
After the War is Over Will there Be Any "Home Sweet Home" by E. J. Pourmon and Joseph Woodruff, 1917, has none of the bravado of the patriotic songs. THe lyricist instead writes about the somber realities of war. The composer's photo is featured on the cover.
Listen to a piano version here.
Transports are sailing from shore to shore.
Brace heroes are falling to arise no more,
But will the bugle's calling every man to war.
After the war is over and the world's at peace
Many a heart will be aching after the war has ceased
Many a home will be vacant,
Many a child alone,
But I hope they'll all be happy
In a place called "Home sweet Home."
Changed will be the picture of the foreign lands,
Maps will change entirely to diff'rent hands.
Kings and Queens may ever rule their fellow man,
But pray they'll be united like our own free land.
(Chorus)
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