Lyr Add: Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried Lin

Subject: Lyr Add: HANG OUT THE WASHING ON THE SIEGFRIED LIN
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Apr 11 - 02:00 PM

I was planning to add this song to the thread Lyr Add: Songs sung by Leslie Sarony but I decided to give it its own thread because it might provoke some discussion.

You can hear this recording at YouTube. This is my transcription:


WE'RE GONNA HANG OUT THE WASHING ON THE SIEGFRIED LINE
Words and music by Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Carr, ©1939.
As sung by The Two Leslies

1. Mother dear, I'm writing you from somewhere in France,
Hoping this finds you well.
Sergeant says I'm doing fine, a soldier and a half.
Here's a song that we all sing. It'll make you laugh:

CHORUS: We're gonna hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line.
Have you any dirty washing, mother dear?
We're gonna hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line,
'Cause the washing day is here.
Whether the weather may be wet or fine,
We'll just rub along without a care.
We're gonna hang out the washing* on the Siegfried Line,
If the Siegfried Line's still there.

2. Everybody's mucking in and doing their job,
Wearing a great big smile.
Ev'rybody's got to keep their spirit up today.
If you want to keep in swing, here's the song to sing: CHORUS

[* Arthur Askey substitutes "Nazis" for "washing" in one of his choruses.]

YouTube has other recordings by:

Arthur Askey

Jack Lumsdaine

Sidney Lipton & His Grosvenor House Dance Orchestra, but it lacks the second verse.

An interesting aspect of this song is the fact that it inspired a bit of Nazi counter-propaganda: The Germans made their own parody which can be heard here: by Charlie and His Orchestra.

Wikipedia has some information about both the original song and the German parody, including the German lyrics and two English translations.