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User Name Thread Name Subject Posted
DaveJ Origins: Bless 'Em All (104* d) RE: Help: Bless 'em All 02 Jun 01

This Site makes the following statement:
Bless'em All was first introduced in England around 1916 by Fred Godfrey. The "soldiers" version was seldom heard in civilized areas and Jimmy Hughes introduced the "decent" version in 1940. There had never really been a set of appropriate words with this tune until then. This version of Bless em'All could be openly sung in loud voices with little chance of reprisal. The music was composed by Frank Lake. Although this song is regarded as a World War II song, it's earliest associations are with the Royal Naval Air Service. In some versions, it became the unofficial Royal Air Force song in the years between the wars.
Clearly this music has been through the 'folk' process. Nobody noses for sure who wrote the 'original' version and the lyric have been modified frequently to fit the situation. Does anyone know anything about Fred Godfrey?

DaveJ

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