Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions

Subject: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST,Doug Gifford
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 12:08 PM

In late July we'll be playing a museum gig commemorating the beginning of WWI. We're a duo--me on piano and vocals and my female partner on vocals. For a variety of reasons, we've decided that the songs should be what an entertainer would actually have played at a concert in 1918. That is to say, not just WWI songs, but songs from farther back as well.

I've got a set list of about thirty songs now, but am still on the lookout. Any suggestions?

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Megan L
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 12:18 PM

If your local newspaper was around at the time and was anything like ours give them a look. While researching the red cross I found lots of reports on benefit and morale concerts which usually gave lists of who did what. I am sure you have already included Keep right on till the end of the road and musichall songs.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 12:40 PM

Thanks, Megan, for the newspaper idea. Our town newspaper, "The Gananoque Reporter" dates back much farther than 1918. It was recently sold to a corporation, though, so it may be tough to get at anything through them. Maybe I'll check the library first.

I have a copy of Harry Lauder singing "Keep Right on to the End of the Road." I gave it another listen while I read about the song. Kinda teared up a bit.

From Wikipedia: Harry wrote the song "Keep Right on to the End of the Road" in the wake of John's death. He had a monument for his son built in the little Lauder cemetery in Glenbranter (John Lauder was buried in France).

That's a keeper. Thanks

Because we're in Canada, I think music hall is a good fit. We were very British at the time. I'm trying to convince Diane to try some Marie Lloyd songs. But I'm pretty new to music hall and have a bunch more searching and listening to do. I've performed "When Father Papered the Parlour" for years but that's about it.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Megan L
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 01:15 PM

try Florrie Ford as well The boy I love is up in the gallery

And don't forget Keep the home fires burning

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Megan L
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 01:21 PM

I just remembered "There's a long long trail a winding" which was sung quite a lot this site has some suggestions this might also give you some ideas

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 01:45 PM

It would be within the norms of the day to rewrite the words a bit.

Now this lousy war is over
Oh how happy now is me
Gone the whizzbangs gone the sergeant
I'm off from the infantry

Back to Blighty come next Monday
Sarah needs her soldier boy
Monday's tommy's happy funday
Sarah is my Soldier's Joy

But then again, Spanish Flu was waiting around the corner. I'd love to know how much food shortage led to lower resistance and the deaths which followed.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 02:05 PM

Thanks all. I'll check out every suggestion.

And yes, WWI was one of the stupidest wars ever fought, which is saying something.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 02:50 PM

If you get hold of a book like Brophy and Partridge, The Long Trail, not only will it give you plenty of material, but if you look at the tunes the soldiers were utilising, they are of the popular songs just prior to the war. This has recently been reissued so should be easy to get hold of. Many of them would have been American tunes as American pop music had a big influence in Europe at the time, as well as the fact that Canadian and American troops brought songs over with them.

Here's a good one that was still being sung in pubs in Britain in the 60s 'My Brudda Sylvest' from 1908. I also think that the 'Died for Love' song was brought back over here by American troops during this war. It originated in Britain but this particular oekotype was crystallised as 'The Butchers Boy' in America.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 06:50 PM

"Here's a good one that was still being sung in pubs in Britain in the 60s 'My Brudda Sylvest' from 1908."

Ha! Just what we need, a song delivered in heavy accent Italian-English about a strong man who can even beat up Indians. I have enough trouble with "My Old Kentucky Home" and the line "Tis summer, the darkies are gay." Or "K-K-K-Katy," for that matter. Different times, different customs, I suppose.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 07:15 PM

It was not a stupid war.
It was fought to save free countries being enslaved to a cruel, militaristic tyranny.

Home Lads Home was written in 1916.
The Garden of Gethsemane.
Far far from Wipers.
Hanging on the old barbed wire.
Tipperary
Old Kit Bag.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Shimbo Darktree
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 08:01 PM

If you want Music Hall, one name gets mentioned frequently at Oz performances by a Music Hall duo - and that name is Harry Champion. Songs he wrote leading up to WWI included "Boiled Beef and Carrots", "Any Old Iron", and "I'm Henery The Eighth I Am". You could also try Kipling's "Boots", "The Road to Mandalay", and "Danny Deever".

Break a Leg!
Shimbo

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST,Doug Gifford
Date: 22 Apr 14 - 09:15 PM

"If you want Music Hall, one name...."

Actually, I want memorable, excellent songs. Music Hall is fine, but also other songs that would plausibly have been sung publicly at the time of armistice.

Here's what I have written out and ready to learn (or already learned) right now.

After You've Gone        1918
Alexander's Ragtime Band        1911
All Through the Night        1884
Ballin' the Jack        1913
Beautiful Dreamer        1864
Bill Bailey        1902
The Boy I Love is Up in the Gallery        1885
By the Light of the Silvery Moon        1909
Camptown Races        1852
Darktown Strutters Ball        1917
Down By The Old Mill Stream        1912
For Me and My Gal        1917
Frankie and Johnnie        1904
Hard Times Come Again No More        1848
Home Sweet Home        1823
I Ain't Got Nobody        1915
I Didn't Raise My Boy To Be A Soldier        1917
In The Good Old Summertime        1902
It's A Long Long Way To Tipperary        1914
Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair        1854
K-K-K-Katy        1918
Keep Right On to the End of the Road        1916
Moonlight Bay        1912
My Grandfather's Clock        1874
My Old Kentucky Home        1853
Oh! Susanna        1848
Old Folks At Home        1851
Silver threads Amongst The Gold        1873
Sister Susie`s Sewing Shirts For Soldiers        1914
Some Of These Days        1910
The Spelling Bee        1875
St. Louis Blues        1914
They Didn't Believe Me        1914
Under The Double Eagle        1902
Waiting for the Robert E Lee        1913
Walkin' The Dog        1916
When Father Papered the Parlour        1910
You Made Me Love You        1913

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 06:09 AM

Keith, this was a nice positive thread until you arrived. By starting off with a dogmatic statement someone's bound to disagree with, you came looking for a fight, and not for the first time. This is why someone created a thread just for little old you over on the other side, so would you please be a gentleman and confine your ill grace to over there?

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 06:14 AM

The hard history of the end of the war showed celebrations as the troops came home - which were the very kiss of death for the participants. The Spanish Flu had two waves, in early 1918 immediately after a wave of fund-raising patriotic rallies, and in late 1918/19 exactly corresponding with the celebrations for the return of the troops.

The MudCat thread on the songs which followed is here.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Musket
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 06:26 AM

Oh! We'll all give thanks for being well led,
A righteous war and no bugger bled...



Almost writes itself...



I am performing a set at a WW1 history day at an arts centre in June. To date, I have two songs that are old chestnuts and need no further learning, (The Bogle pair) and am presently working out the wonderful waltz tune Ralph McTell did for Maginot Waltz, and I intend to sing that too. Throw in a Wilfed Owen poem and my set should be ok.

What is Interesting about this history day is that it is trying to combat the revision that is repugnantly doing the rounds, led by Michael Gove and a few misty eyed old soldiers who think their berets put them closer to WW1 than actual history itself.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Lighter
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 07:55 AM

Placing the Maginot Line in WW1 is a bit of revision too, one would think.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 08:27 AM

The thought of Gove near the front line...probably on t'other side...

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Musket
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 09:19 AM

Placing The Maginot Line in WW1 certainly would be. Maginot Waltz is about summer 1914 though, nothing to do with Maginot Line.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Lighter
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 09:41 AM

Now I feel better.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST,Doug Gifford
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 10:27 AM

anti-war songs from WWI:

I Didn't Raise My Boy To Be A Soldier
Hanging on the Old Barbed Wire (anti-hierarchical, really)

Sister Susie's Sewing Shirts for Soldiers isn't exactly anti-war, but Susie, aside from being incompetent, may be stealing some flannel for her own use.

Lots of pro-war/pro-recruitment songs, which I won't list, and some songs that slip their pro-recruitment sentiments into the verse, like K-K-K-Katy:

Soon he'll go to France, the foe to meet.
Jimmy thought he'd like to take a chance, See if he could make the Kaiser dance,
Stepping to a tune, All about the silv'ry moon,
This is what they'll hear in far off France.

Interesting how so many pro-recruitment songs simplify the task to something like making the Kaiser dance. It reminds me of a time I was driving through the US near the beginning of the first Iraq war and people were phoning into the radio telling us it was time to "boot Sadam's ass."

I guess it sounds better than "come back home a broken man" which is what happened to my grandfather at the end of WWI. His lungs were damaged and the doctor told him he could no longer work his trade (horse-collar-maker) because of the dust and he became a tenant farmer--a very poor tenant farmer. We do have a very nice certificate, though, thanking him for his participation.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 10:57 AM

André Maginot was a French Deputé (MP) and Under-Secretary of State for War in 1914. Wounded at the start of the war, he was made an iconic hero and spent much of the interwar years as Minister of Defence, creating the imbalanced focus on the defensive line named after him.

The Maginot Waltz might therefore be considered alongside the rest of the choreography of OWALW.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: IanC
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 11:27 AM

I think no 1918 concert would be complete without "Annie Laurie". Very popular since the Crimean War but still very popular.

Fits your format too.

:-)

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST,Doug Gifford
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 01:15 PM

Annie Laurie! I have John McCormack singing it. It's gorgeous and she's not dead or anything. Bonus. Diane will gladly trot out her Scots accent thing and off we go. I'm copying it out right now. Thanks

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 01:19 PM

Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 04:26 PM

OWALW was based on Tommy's Tunes

There's also Soldiers Songs on Traditional Music.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Lighter
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 04:41 PM

You've got a hard choice to make with "Tipperary," now laden with   irrelevant, reactive associations but symbolic of the British war effort for many decades.

Likewise with George M. Cohan's American "Over There."

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 14 - 06:45 PM

"You've got a hard choice to make with "Tipperary," now laden with   irrelevant, reactive associations but symbolic of the British war effort for many decades. "

We'll do it, just because. Not really a war song at all; just a song that was sung during a war, and somehow came to symbolise it. Could be worse--could have been "Three German soldiers crossed the Rhine."

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Apr 14 - 02:15 AM

Or Mademoiselle from Armentiers...

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Apr 14 - 03:04 AM

A couple of my favourites---older than 1918 but they may have been sung.

One that is Canadian is "When You And I Were Young Maggie", words written by George W. Johnson, a teacher in Lower Canada, in 1864 and music by James Butterfield in 1865.

I also love Man On the Flying Trapeze---I believe it was British---from 1867.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Musket
Date: 24 Apr 14 - 03:53 AM

All the girls in France bought a ticket to a dance
Singing Nelly rub your belly close to mine.

The gig I am doing is in a church, so I promised I wouldn't do the myriad saucy WW1 songs though. Interesting how many rude songs have their roots in The Great War?

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST,Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 24 Apr 14 - 02:42 PM

Sorry, my cookie was disengaged. That last 'guest' post from April 24 3:04 A.M. was mine.

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Cool Beans
Date: 24 Apr 14 - 07:20 PM

I do a lot of songs from the 1900s to the 1940s. A few from pre-1918 that I'd recommend (because they're fun to sing and go over well) are:
The Storybook Ball
Bill Morgan and His Gal (My Name Is Morgan But It Ain't J.P.)
Come Take a Trip in My Airship
Give My Regards to Broadway
And if you can get away with one from 1919, "The Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave To Me" is a doozy.
Good luck!!

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: Lighter
Date: 25 Apr 14 - 09:54 AM

Well, if you're gonna do 1919, you can't neglect "How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree)?"

Subject: RE: Concert 'in 1918'--song suggestions
From: GUEST,doug Gifford
Date: 25 Apr 14 - 11:52 AM

Cool Beans: I've harvested all your suggestions from youTube and have listened to them a few times. I think Diane will like The Storybook Ball.

We could include Airship in a medley of flying or transportation songs (i.e. merry oldsmobile, Josephine and airship). I won't do 1919 for a WWI gig, although "How ya gonna keep them..." is WWI themed, so it might get included.

"The Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave to Me" is interesting. I'll put it in my mental collection of early jazz songs that I could learn. May I recommend back: Shelton Brooks' "Walkin' the Dog" and "Darktown Strutters Ball."