Song for Secular Armistice Day

Subject: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: stallion
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 05:23 AM

We have been asked to sing at a Secular armistice day memorial service, probably cos of the songs"Rose of York" and "Home Lads Home" which we recorded on a cd last year, just wanted to know if anyone had any other ideas. I don't think it is particularly an Anti war thing but knowing the people who are involved in it it will not be glorifying war either. Suggestions and sources/melody and words would be appreciated

Peter

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 05:36 AM

Eric Bogle's 'The Gift of Years'... about an ANZAC Vet who returns to say thank you to a mate who died at Gallipoli. Guaranteed not a dry eye in the house. Martyn Windham Reid has recorded it (Sunlit Plains CD) and it may be mentioned in other threads here.

LTS

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: Mr Happy
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 06:30 AM

The most meaningful one I choose to do during Remembrance week is 'Poor Murdered Men' [Jon Heslop]

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: Cats
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 12:04 PM

I was about to suggest Poor Murdered men as well. The first time I sang it was sitting by the graveside of the boy soldiers from WW1 in Pere la Chaise cemetery in Paris. There was noone there when I found it so sat very quietly and sang it very gently for them. When I had finished there must have been 20 or 30 people there who had come up while I was singing it and most of them had a tear. Stunning song, even though I am biased. Stallion if you are interested, please pm me with an e mail address and I can send you words and dots ~ I don't know how to attach them to a thread.

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: stallion
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 07:00 PM

thanks cats I have pm'd my e-mail address, cheers and thanks LtS I will look that up
Peter

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: OLDNIC
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 05:09 AM

You could look at:-
Lobster Lad, John Cartain on Young No More "Three For A Girl"
Martinmas, Bob Alloway from Sutton Coldfield a very powerful song
Contact me for the words as I am not a techy

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 06:27 AM

Leon Rosselson's Armistice Day 1969 is also an excellent, powerful song, though it might be worth updating the "remember Biafra" reference to something more topical- in the way of things, nobody remembers Biafra now, and the lessons were lost, and the killing for oil goes on. Who said, "oil is blood"?

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: the button
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 06:40 AM

Peter Bellamy's setting of "Tommy"?

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o'beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:

O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's ``Thank you, Mister Atkins,'' when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's ``Thank you, Mr. Atkins,'' when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy how's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints:
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind,"
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country," when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
But Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!

---

-lyric by Kipling, tune by Bellamy - posted here (click).
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 08:31 PM

Dancing at Whitsun would fit nicely

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: The Walrus
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 08:46 PM

Kipling's "Gethsemene" (goes to the hymn tune "There is a Green Hill Far Away")

Gethsemane

THE Garden called Gethsemane
    In Picardy it was,
And there the people came to see
    The English soldiers pass,
We used to pass—we used to pass
    Or halt, as it might be,
And ship our masks in case of gas
    Beyond Gethsemane.

The Garden called Gethsemane,
    It held a pretty lass,
But all the time she talked to me
    I prayed my cup might pass.

The officer sat on the chair,
    The men lay on the grass,
And all the time we halted there
    I prayed my cup might pass.

It didn't pass—it didn't pass—
    It didn't pass from me.
I drank it when we met the gas
    Beyond Gethsemane.

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: oldhippie
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 09:27 PM

Also known as Veteran's Day,
try "Veteran's Day" by Tom Russell on his Poor Man's Dream CD.

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 11:42 PM

I sing the Gesthemane to Auld Lang Syne and usually I hate using other melodies but it fits perfectly. It is a totally perfect song. Especially for Armistice day. mg

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: stallion
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 06:24 PM

cheers for the contributions, v/ busy at the mo, keep them coming
Peter

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: GUEST,albert
Date: 24 Aug 07 - 12:03 PM

Try "The Ballad of Harry Farr" by Huw Pudner which is about Private Harry Farr who was executed on the Somme in 1916 and pardoned in 2006.
albert

Subject: RE: Song for Secular Armistice Day
From: rich-joy
Date: 24 Aug 07 - 09:04 PM

I know Australian singer-songwriter, Noel Gardner, has written a song entitled "Armisice Day" - though I can't see it yet on his website :
http://www.noelgardner.com/
Emailing him would probably be fruitful, though ....


Cheers, R-J