Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)

Subject: RE: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From: harvey andrews
Date: 20 Jul 04 - 06:28 PM

Hi Skipy....I remember!

Subject: RE: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 21 Jul 04 - 04:42 AM

Joe Stead is still going strong, based in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire. On his own or with shanty group ' Kimbers Men. '

eric

Subject: RE: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Aug 04 - 07:25 AM

Harvey - During the seventies and eighties your inspiring song 'The Soldier' became an ad hoc anthem for those of us engaged in bomb disposal. Whenever we lost one of our operators (about 1 in 17 died in Ulster) your song would get played over and over until the needle scratched a hole in the vinyl, or the beer ran out, or we could no longer think of anything else to say about a fallen comrade. I have lived and witnessed nearly every line of that song - how did you manage to encapsulate so much of the gritty reality of being a soldier in Ulster? Felix.

Subject: RE: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From: harvey andrews
Date: 01 Aug 04 - 09:25 AM

Well Felix, that's a story I'm gathering material to write. Your posting is another example of how a song can become part of people's lives and "Soldier" has certainly done that.May I include you posting in my writing?

Subject: RE: Origins: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From: breezy
Date: 01 Aug 04 - 04:29 PM

Harveys next appearance in St Albans will be on fri 6th may 2005

at the Duke of Marlborough which re-opens on Fri 26th Sept

this years gig was a full house and the best show yet from the guvnor

he's only 61 you know till 7th may 2005

Subject: RE: Origins: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 06:39 PM

Just a few lines to add to this board. I served In NI during the early years, the song had just hit the streets so to speak. Not long after Op Motorman we were blasted constantly with 'Men Behind the Wire' and when the soldier came along it gave us a little to answer with. It was and still is a powerful song for many of us. Memories of the days are mostly black and white, but the feelings are still here. So in conclusion thank you Mr Andrews you will never know how much morale boosting you gave many of us.

Subject: RE: Origins: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Aug 04 - 04:50 AM

Harvey - I would be honoured if you use my posting in your writing. I have written about Belfast myself. As you may know 'Felix' is the code name given to all bomb disposal officers who serve in Ulster, based on the cartoon cat with nine lives. If you have a more private em@il address I will send you my name and contact details. Felix.

Subject: RE: Origins: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From:
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 05:24 AM

I have been trying to get a copy of this song but can't find it anywhere can some one please tell me where to get a copy

Subject: RE: Origins: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From: harvey andrews
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 06:48 AM

go to my website www.harveyandrews.com
click on "shop"
order "writer of songs" cd

Subject: RE: Origins: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From: GUEST,Lee
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 04:21 PM

Harvey,

The sond "The Soldier" was No is very inspiring for all young soldiers.
Having served from 86 as a junior it inspired me to go on.
Having trying to get hold of the song since first hearing it in my recruit troop in 86 I have now found you site.
The biggest problem was the even though I knew the song I never knew who wrote or sang it.
I am hoping now to be able to get to some of your concerts now tha tI have found the person who wrote the song.
Again Thank you from me and most of the british army
Lee

Subject: RE: Origins: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From: Pistachio
Date: 20 Jan 05 - 05:58 PM

I saw Harvey in Cottingham, Yorkshire last autumn and spoke to him about the reaction I used to get when singing 'the Soldier' in the NAAFI bar in Berlin Field Force back in 1978.... the 'gathered drinkers' some from 2 Para, divided into three distinct groups - one third left the building, too affected or wary of showing their feelings, the younger men, who hadn't heard the story, ended up silent and the middle third sat with tears in their eyes in rememberance. It got harder and harder for me to continue to the end of the song, seeing the effect it had, but I felt, in my small way, that I was helping them come to terms with some time in their lives.
I still sing 'the Soldier' around 'Armistice' and it's quite amazing to 'hear the silence' of the listeners. Last time I sang one of my pals was totally in awe of the story and said: "B..... great song, B..... great tune, B..... well sung.
I believe in delivering songs as stories, not simply singing in time.
Harvey, you're a master of delivery and illustrate your music with wonderful words. Thanks. Hazel

Subject: RE: Origins: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Aug 05 - 02:01 PM

what other artists did cover versions of Harvey Andrews "The soldier"
cheers John

Subject: RE: Origins: Harvey Andrews' 'The Soldier'
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Aug 05 - 03:06 PM

Angelic Upstarts

Subject: RE: Origins: Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,LWM
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 06:13 PM

Question recently asked by myself on the ww(etc).ARRSE.co.uk website......personally your song ranks right up there with Marillions much later 'Forgotten Sons'. Sadly we remain forgotten......2 days ago I watched the funeral of a Fusilier Sgt killed on the 20 Nov 05. The window on one side of the Hearse was filled with just one word..............DADDY.

Perhaps some songs deserve to be played more often than others.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,Guest - DM
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 04:51 PM

I joined up in 80 and served two tours in NI. This song is so inspiring and like Lee I searched for years for it.
Thankfully and hopefully peace has now settled and will remain.

Thanks
Dave

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,mike
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 06:28 PM

mr Andrews i served fm 87 to 97 and grew up during the troubles in germany and all i want to say is thank you its a song relevant to any of the troubles since NI and becomes an emotional roller-coaster for any body who has been there, in which ever conflict that might be, thanks again

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: Lemming
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 09:40 PM

I recently went to a gig in a local pub where the performer sang this song. It was the first time I'd heard Soldier.
With me at the time were several friends who had all served at one time or another in Northern Ireland.

I have never before been in a pub that was so quiet, filled with so many men with tears in their eyes.

Your song, written all those years ago, and which meant so much to a generation of British Soldiers, is still so very relevant today.

Thank you

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,Suffering civilian
Date: 17 Apr 07 - 10:52 AM

It is nice to know some of our lads have a consicence, I know many people have tears in their eyes and they weren`t in any rejiment.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,Keith
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 07:30 AM

I remember the first time I ever heard someone cover Soldier in a folk club. It remains one of the most powerful songs I have ever heard.

"Writer of Songs" is really great album. I was SO pleased to be able to track it down on CD about 8 years ago. Up until then all I had was an old tape of a friend covering Hey Sandy.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,Keith
Date: 19 Apr 07 - 03:57 AM

Coincidentally I received an email newsletter from Harvey yesterday evening. His autobiography has now been published. Details on

http://www.harveyandrews.com

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,laura
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 08:45 AM

hi i dont no much about this site, but you wrote about william halligan getting shot in 1971, im wondering do you no if there is anything else on the net i can find out about it, he was my uncle.

any help you can give me would be great,

thanks

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: Bernard
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 02:27 PM

I'm fortunate that I heard Harvey sing this song at the Heaton Village Folk Club (Bolton, Lancs) soon after he had written it.

The folk club, and the building in which it met, are both long gone.

A few years ago I heard Isla St. Clair sing the song at the Railway, Heatley. She'd only just learned it, but made a mighty powerful job of it. I hadn't realised how good she was until then.

Harvey is coming to the Railway once again on May 3rd... tickets disappearing fast!

With any luck, the cold that was festering at Woodford Festival has been and gone!!

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: Wolfgang
Date: 25 Apr 07 - 11:03 AM

Laura, re William Halligan.

Can you get access to a copy of the book "Lost lives" (mentioned in Susanne's post)? Each death in Northern Ireland is described in that book with more or less detail.

If not, post again here and I'll copy the text from that book for you.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 06:02 AM

There aren't many writers who can claim to have written songs that have meant so much to so many people from outside this rather cosy, inward-looking community that we like to call the 'Folk Scene'. Ralph McTell, Tom Paxton and Sidney Carter are among the very others I can think of. Harvey struck a chord with this song, and politics aside, I'm glad there's such a powerful, compassionate song out there that tells the story from a perspective that has never been fashionable and which took a lot of guts to write and perform when Harvey first started performing it in the early 70s. Respect.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 27 Apr 07 - 07:26 PM

Laura, here you are:

[1999:] [Death no] 64. March 5, 1971: William Halligan, West Belfast
Civilian, Catholic, 21, single, labourer

The army shot him in a clash between soldiers and civilians just before 1 a.m. in Balaclava Street in the lower Falls area. He lived not far away at Plevna Street. Two other civilians were injured in the incident and the circumstances of the death were disputed.

The Terence Penny Republican Club said he did not have nail or petrol bombs but had been one of a crowd of men who were taunting soldiers. The army said at the time that he had thrown a nail bomb immediately before he was shot. A lieutenant-colonel from the Parachute Regiment told the inquest that there had been serious trouble on the Falls Road and several of his soldiers had been injured. He said petrol and gelignite bombs were thrown at his troops, adding: 'I felt that if I did not take sterner measures soldiers would get hurt.'

He said he warned the crowd with a loudhailer but as he finished speaking a nail bomb landed only a short distance away. He said soldiers were ordered to open fire when they had a target, someone who had been positively identified as being in the act of throwing a missile. He said eight soldiers had been organised into a sniper party and they had fired 15 shots at people who had been identified as targets.

The lieutenant-colonel said one soldier present was Sergeant Michael George Willets, who was killed in an explosion at Springfield Road RUC station two months later. A sergeant who was not named told the inquest that he saw a man in Balaclava Street drawing back his arm to throw a bomb. He said he fired one round and saw the man stagger back, adding that other riflemen were firing at the same time. The sergeant said he also fired a shot at a man who made to throw a bottle and saw the man stagger. He said he saw rthe man walk into Balaclava Street and throw a bottle. He aimed at the man's body, he said, but did not see the result as a petrol bomb exploding obscured his view. He saw another man with a lighted bottle and the man fell backwards after being hit. An RUC constable told the inquest that William Halligan's clothes had a strong smell of petrol.

In 1979 the Halligan family were awarded undisclosed damages after successfully suing the Ministry of Defence. (McKittrick et al., Lost Lives 69)

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,nick price
Date: 07 May 07 - 11:19 AM

I saw Harvey Andrews play in Lancaster in 1969 and was, like many people gobsmacked by "Soldier", (and many others he sang that night). I immediately bought Writer of Songs and subsequent releases which gradually disappeared with various moves and partners. I recently "discovered" Harvey's website and bought "Writer of Songs" on CD. I played it to my kids aged 19 and 15, and they were completely knocked out by it. I had no idea that it had so many resonances with those directly involved but I'm not surprised. What is amazing and perhaps in some respects rather depressing is that it is still as relevant today. Brilliant brilliant brilliant.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,chris
Date: 07 May 07 - 02:58 PM

Have been reading the threads and am not too surprised that ¬soldier` has been hard to track down.
I was a soldier in NI in the early 70s. Soldier came out on the black market as it would seem the BBC and SKC had banned it from the air waves. I had my copy and cherished it until i had proper tape and now CD. I still introduce it to any one who enjoys brilliant music and songs.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,Chris Bolton
Date: 20 May 07 - 03:30 PM

When I joined the RAMC, there was a bloke who had been in as a Rock Ape, (with great affection obviously) who joined with me. As soon as he put it on we were (ever so politely) asked to turn it off.
So, after some of the proverbial had been taken out of us, I asked our TC about this "ban". I got the usual stuff, but, as far as we were concerned, bloody great song, and we / I will sing it out!

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 May 07 - 04:26 PM

Old soldiers will be glad to know that an army presence will no longer be required in Northern Ireland. IHHO, they should never have been there in the first place.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,tiswas68
Date: 09 Sep 07 - 08:05 AM

there are a few postings of Soldier on "You tube"

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,No one in particular
Date: 30 Sep 07 - 04:44 PM

Please at least get his name right - Willetts.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 15 Oct 07 - 09:06 AM

The name of Sgt Willets is among those recorded on the new British Forces memorial.
http://www.forcesmemorial.org.uk/roll-of-honour/roll-of-honour-profile.asp?profile=104460

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,Elaine Harris
Date: 04 Jan 08 - 12:31 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLlDOOVZ1HQ

here is a utube of the song by Harvey "The Soldier"

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,ex bill oddy
Date: 08 Feb 08 - 05:36 PM

Willets is the correct surname. I served at Chepstow Army Apprentices College with his son in the mid 1980's. It was unofficially banned there for obvious reasons. As a sad post script to this story the mans wife had to sell his George Cross for financial reasons in the late 1970's/eafly 1080's......Discuss

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,keith A o' Hertford
Date: 31 Jul 08 - 06:38 AM

The original post here was a question about whether anyone had ever placed their body on a grenade to save others.
Recent story.
Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher, 24, from Solihull, in the West Midlands triggered a trip wire in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in February.

He immediately dropped to the ground and lay across the grenade, being blown into the air as it went off.

The George Cross is one of the highest decorations that can be awarded for acts of gallantry.

L/Cpl Croucher said: "All I could do in the moment was shout out 'grenade' before diving on top of it."

His bag was crammed with equipment which cushioned the explosion. His three comrades suffered just cuts and bruises while L/Cpl Croucher was thrown in the air.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/7521221.stm

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,Steve
Date: 16 Jun 10 - 07:27 PM

Heard this sung without accompaniment by a good amateur singer in the early eighties. Moved me then, moves me more now. Finally tracked down the original and the real facts. Back when I first heard it I was in the Territorial Army (so no, I never served in Northern Ireland) and saw everything in black and white, i.e. "Republicans = murdering bastards, British Army = good boys". Have since come to see it more subtly. And that long before this week's Bloody Sunday report release.

It's so good to hear that guys like LCPL Croucher are prepared to follow in the footsteps of SGT Willets. Even better to hear that Matthew Croucher got away with it.

Plan on learning this so I can sing it.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jan 13 - 01:10 AM

where can get the words and song from.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: My guru always said
Date: 28 Jan 13 - 02:20 AM

GUEST, the words are at the beginning of this thread and you can find the song on You Tube under Harvey Andrews. Will try to find a link for you after work.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: GUEST,Daz74
Date: 13 Sep 22 - 10:15 AM

My dad had one of HA albums in the 70s/80s and is convinced that either at the end of the track soldier or as a extra track there is a explosion and the sound of a baby crying. Can anyone help me out with this? If there is could you please let me know the album. Many thanks, Daz
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Origins: The Soldier (Harvey Andrews)
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 20 Sep 22 - 04:46 PM

> The incident of the soldier's embracing the bomb was poetic licence.

For that incident, maybe. Standard practice in the trenches in the Great War, I understand: if a grenade comes over and lands next to you, you're dead anyway, so fall on it to save your mates.