Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif

Subject: Need a song about war/soldier/pacifism
From: GUEST,Joe Balducci
Date: 01 May 01 - 12:58 AM

Hi, I am working on a documentary about Pvt. Eddie Slovik, who was executed by the US Amry for desertion in WWII. I am looking for a song that would work well in my documentary. Idealy it would be something about not wanting to go to war, death in war, soliders who dislike war, about not wanting to fire a gun.... etc. Any help would be most appreciated!! Thanks! Joe

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: GUEST,Joe Cool
Date: 01 May 01 - 01:23 AM

Joe: I don't know if is helpfull or not but John Prine(folk singer/song writer) wrote a couple about the Vietnam war. A song called "SAm Stone" and one closer to what you want called "The great compromise". I hope that will be helpfull, give it a listen and let me know if that is what you want............J.C.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: nutty
Date: 01 May 01 - 05:03 AM

Mick Ryan wrote a wonderful song called "The man that I did kill" which I think is recorded in the production of "All in a days work"

The chorus goes:-
In another place at another time
I'd drink his health in a glass of wine
I'd shake the hand and think no ill
Of the man that I did kill

I can transcribe it for you if you think it would be suitable but it will take a few days

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Lyndi-loo
Date: 01 May 01 - 05:14 AM

The Corries have a song about WWI called (I think) the Flowers of the Forest or possibly, Willie McBride

What about the Classic "Where have all the flowers gone?"

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Stewie
Date: 01 May 01 - 05:44 AM

It might not be quite what you want, but it might be worth considering:

Jimmy Clay

--Stewie.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAN I KILLED (Mick Ryan)
From: Orac
Date: 01 May 01 - 06:06 AM

"The Man I killed" by Mick Ryan is in my opinion the best anti war song ever written. Its also the only song I know where the "chorus" is in the middle of the verse.
It goes through all the ages of warfare. It takes a lot of learning, but its well worth it. It is available on a CD called "The Widow's promise" with Pete Harris. (See DT for that song where it is erroneously called "The devil versus the widow" with a few errors in the lyrics). Both Mick and Pete will be at our folk club in November. (Brewtown Folk Club, Burton on Trent)

THE MAN I KILLED
(Mick Ryan)

My enemy I first did see with the dawn all in his eye
His armour bright was a fine brave sight and I heard his battle cry
His sword did wave and a yell I gave in answer to his call
By the red sunset the ground was wet with blood were he did fall
In another place, at another time I'd drink his health in a glass of wine
I'd shake the hand and think no ill of the man that I did kill.
For who can say why he marched away the join the battle throng
For a mans mislead by the glorious dead who live in a hero's song
Did he march away on a fine spring day to a darling sweetheart's wave
Was it careless love or a chance to prove to his love that he was brave

My enemy I then did see with a musket in his hand
He raised that gun in the morning sun when he made his final stand
But I picked him out in that last redoubt and I heard the singing sigh
Of the ball that flew to the man I slew and I heard his last death cry
In another place, at another time I'd drink his health in a glass of wine
I'd shake the hand and think no ill of the man that I did kill.
For who can say why he marched away to meet my deadly aim
Was it want of bread or work that lead him a way to the deadly game
Was his poor soul sold for a piece of gold that brought him over the sea
Did a starving wife or a poor man's life bring the poor man here to me

My enemy I then did see in a world of shell and fire
I saw him stand in the no-man's land through the loops of the old barbed wire
And as he ran I marked my man and played my well-drilled part
And the air was split as the bullet hit and tore his life apart
In another place, at another time I'd drink his health in a glass of wine
I'd shake the hand and think no ill of the man that I did kill.
For who can say why he marched away so far from his native land
Did he fear to die, did the white feathers fly, did she place one in his hand
Did he feel her shame, did he take the blame, did she smile at his uniform
And did she cry when he went to die on that far off summer's morn

My enemy I could not see with his children in his arms
He was far away on that fateful day and I meant to him no harm
But I gave the word and a roar was heard as death took us all by the hand
And in reply it was eye for eye and we're all in no-man's land
In another place, at another time I'd drink his health in a glass of wine
I'd shake the hand and think no ill of the man that I did kill.
For who can say why we march away, we have reasons of our own
We are poor, we are sad, we are rich, we are glad, and we all die our deaths alone
We go up, we go back, we retreat, we attack, we are safe and we take our chance
We mark our man and we do what we can to keep up with death's old dance
In another place, at another time I'd drink his health in a glass of wine
I'd shake the hand and think no ill of the man that I did kill.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Wolfgang
Date: 01 May 01 - 06:20 AM

Thanks for posting that great song, Orac.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Orac
Date: 01 May 01 - 06:32 AM

Glad to... it took me an age to learn it. Fortunately I already had it typed out as someone aked me for the lyrics a while back after hearing me do it.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Susan of DT
Date: 01 May 01 - 06:32 AM

If you want to wade thru a LOT of songs for ones appropriate to what you are doing, put @war in the blue search box up top, which yields 460 songs. I knew we had a lot of them, but even i was surprised at how many there are.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Dani
Date: 01 May 01 - 07:48 AM

First song that popped into my head was Pete Seeger's "Big Muddy". I've never heard him (or anyone) sing it, but the words are terrific. It didn't come up under @VIETNAM, I found it under 'B', but the link went to "Tennessee Stud". I'll report this to the proper authorities, but will keep trying to get to it, because it's great.

Dani

Subject: Lyr Add: BRING THE YOUNG MEN HOME (D. C. Couch)
From: Deni
Date: 01 May 01 - 10:06 AM

Here's a W.W.II song about a soldier who disliked war:

BRING THE YOUNG MEN HOME
(D. C. Couch)

Bring the young men home; bring the young men back again.

I was saying goodbye at the station
To my stranger in battle dress.
There were mothers all crying
And kissing tall sons
Who were slapping their fathers
On shoulders grown round,
And I saw them, in hundreds
As they strode up to the trains,
Heard the sound of their singing
And I saw him smile again.

Bring the young men home; bring the young men back again.

I was lying alone in my bed
When the bombers they flew overhead.
In the shelter, I hugged his picture to me.
I cried out when he whispered to me in my dreams,
And I saw them, in thousands
As they marched along the road
Packing kit bags with their troubles,
And I saw him smile again.

Bring the young men home; bring the young men back again.

I was listening to an old man
Who was talking of why it began.
In the cinema, they showed the pictures of war,
The wounded, shipped home.
What were they crying for?
And I saw them on stretchers,
With guilt etched on their faces,
All those hollow-eyed survivors,
Leaving brothers, failing friends.

Bring the young men home; bring the young men back again.

They brought my young man home that winter,
But hour upon hour in silence he'd sit.
He would stare at the quiet skies,
And fifty years on,
Though he won't speak of blame,
The memories remain.
Still he sees them, in thousands,
Hears the sound of their singing
Of packing kit bags with their troubles,
And he sees them smile again.

Still he sees them, in thousands,
Hears the sound of their singing
Of packing kit bags with their troubles,
And he sees them smile again.

Copyright 2000 D. C. Couch

HTML line breaks added, and changed from all caps. --JoeClone, 22-Feb-03.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 01 May 01 - 10:07 AM

Joe

"Masters of War" (Martin Simpson does a great version)

put the blame where it really lies....

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Deni
Date: 01 May 01 - 10:08 AM

Please does anyone know how I can stop the lines of a song all becoming jumbled up when I submit the message. I spent ages typing that song up into lines. AARRGGHH.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Wolfgang
Date: 01 May 01 - 10:16 AM

Deni,

read here

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Trapper
Date: 01 May 01 - 10:37 AM

Here's the blue clicky for Eric Bogle's song "No Man's Land", referred to above as "Flowers of the Forest" or "Willie McBride".

- Al

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Gary T
Date: 01 May 01 - 11:04 AM

Check out Good Christian Soldier, written by Bobby Bare and Billy Joe Shaver, recorded by Kris Kristofferson on his album "The Silver Tongued Devil and I."

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: GUEST,Joe
Date: 01 May 01 - 11:28 AM

Thanks for the help... also I wonder if there are any songs specifically about executions....

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: GUEST,Jaine
Date: 01 May 01 - 11:34 AM

Boiled in Lead's surreal "Army (Dream Song)" is a hallucinatory piece with a good beat. "In my dream, I'm suddenly in the army, and the army life is good, but I'm ankle-deep in blood. I went to see the quartermaster and the quartermaster said, 'Your socks are awful read.'... I said, 'Sergeant, I am hurting, I'm considering deserting.' He said, 'Do whatever is in your conscience,' so I tried to make a run, but I was stapled to the gun." It's not as literal as a lot of make-love-not-war pieces, but it might be useful since it's not as widely used. --Jaine

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Wolfgang
Date: 01 May 01 - 11:40 AM

an execution song: Zu Strassburg auf der Schanz (Engl. transl. at the link)

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: LR Mole
Date: 01 May 01 - 12:14 PM

Not really what you want, but John Stuart's "Me and Jim" is an extraordinary song on the subject. On "The Phoenix Concerts" If "Me and Jim" is what the song is called. If "Stuart" is how he spells his name. The Kingston Trio-Monkees-Fleetwood Mac guy.
Can't remember who wrote it, but "Some Fool Made a Soldier of Me", covered by the Kingston Trio, is good.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Dani
Date: 01 May 01 - 12:18 PM

Well, I learned more ins and outs of our wonderful DT today!

When you go to alpha listing, then click on titles, it takes you do lots of songs with that phrase: "Big Muddy" was among them.

So keep looking! There's treasure in them thar hills, if'n you only know the right searches!

Dani

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: The Walrus at work
Date: 01 May 01 - 02:05 PM

A suggestion for an end piece for the documentary (either as text or a voice over)

I could not look on Death,This being known,
Men led me to him, blindfold and alone.
(Rudyard Kipling)

from "Epitaphs of the Great War"

Good Luck.

Walrus

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: GUEST,Pete M at work
Date: 02 May 01 - 12:23 AM

Whilst we are talking about Kipling you can't really go past "Danny Dever" for a song / poem about military execution.

Pete M

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: GUEST,Pete M at work
Date: 02 May 01 - 12:46 AM

Hi again Joe, I don't know the details of Pvt Slovik's case, but I assume from the fact that you are preparing a documnetary about it that there is a good reason to believe that he was suffering from "shell shock", mental breakdown, call it what you will. I don't want to seem to be trying and teach you to suck eggs, but you may like to consider a Sassoon poem as well, "Dawn attack" with the line "Sweet Jesus make it stop" would seem to be appropriate to the mood of your subject.

Pete M

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Lady McMoo
Date: 02 May 01 - 04:22 AM

Just a couple more suggestions:

"Christmas in the trenches": John McCutcheon "Just like John Barleycorn": Pete Morton

Dick Gaughan does a powerful version of the "Big Muddy" which is another excellent one.

mcmoo

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M ASKING YOU, SERGEANT, WHERE'S MINE?
From: Scabby Douglas
Date: 02 May 01 - 04:32 AM

This is Billy Connolly's song abouit Northern Ireland:

I'M ASKING YOU SERGEANT WHERE'S MINE

I'm lyin' in bed, I'm in room twenty-six
Thinkin' on things that I've done
Like drinkin' wi' squaddies and bullin' my boots
I'm countin' the medals I've won

These hospital wards they're all drab lookin' joints
But the ceiling's as much as I see
It could do with a wee touch of paper or paint
But then again, maybe that's me

Chorus:

Oh sergeant, is this the adventure you meant When I put my name down on the line All that talk of computers and sunshine and skis Oh, I'm askin' you, sergeant, where's mine

I've a brother in Glasgow wi' long, curly hair
When I joined up he said I was daft
He says shootin' strangers just is nae his game
That brother of mine is nae saft

But I can put up wi' most things I've done in the time
I can even put up with the pains
But what do you do with a gun in your hand
When you're faced with a hundred odd weans

(Chorus)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: pattyClink
Date: 02 May 01 - 08:59 AM

Big Muddy, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, Banks of Sicily, The D-Day Dodgers are war songs that come to mind. It might help if you suggested mood, do you want something sad, profound, uppity, smart-alecky?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: IceWolf
Date: 02 May 01 - 09:16 AM

Phil Ochs "I Ain't Marchin' Any More"

Tom Paxton "Born on the Fourth of July"

???? "The Minstrel Boy"

--IceWolf

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: BobP
Date: 02 May 01 - 11:00 AM

Noticed the absence of Buffy's Universal Soldier.

. . . And he thinks we'll put an end to war this way.

or, in Slovik's time, putting an end to Hitler.

but, we didn't know a better way.

Oh well, that wasn't Slovik's problem.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Bagpuss
Date: 02 May 01 - 11:37 AM

War!

What is it good for?

Absolutely nothing.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Wendy_
Date: 02 May 01 - 12:17 PM

Perhaps this thread is worth a look?

Trench Songs of WW1

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: ermintrudeclaire
Date: 02 May 01 - 03:52 PM

what about John Richard's 'the deserter' as sung by Fairport among others Dont despise the deserter, dont despise the deserter who rain from the war'

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Bert
Date: 02 May 01 - 05:10 PM

A DT Search for

join army

Finds many hits including This one

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: ddw
Date: 02 May 01 - 06:22 PM

There were quite a few that might fit the bill among Civil War (U.S.) songs. One of the best IMO, is All Quiet Along The Potomac. Another that springs to mind is The Empty Chair.

In a totally different vein, there's Draft Dodger Rag. Can't remember who wrote it — may have been Phil Ochs or maybe Tom Paxton or Bob Gibson.

Joan Baez's version of What Have They Done To The Rain? is a pretty powerful one.

Also — tho' I've never heard it recorded, The Crow and The Cradle.

Bob Gibson also arranged a Civil War Trilogy with The First Battalion, Yes I See and Two Brothers.

I know somebody mentioned it above and many consider it overdone, but I'd also cast another vote for Eric Bogle's And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

cheers,

david

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: ddw
Date: 02 May 01 - 06:25 PM

Just as I hit the send button I remembered another — Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From:
Date: 02 May 01 - 08:07 PM

I would most strongly suggest a WWII song, which I believe the Crow and the Cradle is, although I don't remember what it is about. mg

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Lady McMoo
Date: 02 May 01 - 08:17 PM

Perhaps also "The Antelope". A powerful anti-war song I think written by Mick Ryan.

mcmoo

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Need a song about war/soldier/pacif
From: Deni
Date: 04 May 01 - 05:19 AM

Is the crow and the Cradle by Sidney Carter?