Origins: Bless 'Em All

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,Lee Tomkins (Ex 205 Squadron0
Date: 17 Jul 07 - 08:24 PM

I was interested about the origin of the infamous "Shack song" however I must disagree witn "magician" concerning the origin of the verse concerning the Mig.It could not have originated from the late sixties or be related to a North Sea Exercise. Firstly I was a member of 205 Squadron in 1965/6 at Changi in Singapore and we were singing that verse on many an occasion especially when we went on detachment to Kuching and Gan and were celebrating in the respective messes. Secondly the MiG (all the variants around at that time namely the 15,17,19 and 21) were limited range aircraft and were unlikely to even reach the North Sea,there were no significant Soviet naval aircraft forces at the time, the Moskva was not around before the seventies and that was limited to helicopters and VTOL aircraft so unless the aircraft had flown from East Germany overflying various NATO countries then that story leaves a lot of questions.
I think that the story of the Mig must come from the fifties or possibly the confrontation period in the early sixties assuming that Indonesia may have had Migs. I must admit that I do not recall any tales of MiGs being in conflict with our forces during Confrontation but Indonesia did have soviet helicopters so it is possible that they had MiGs as well.
Anyway thanks for the verses I had forgotten parts of the first verse,in fact if my memory serves me correct there was a total of at least 4 verses.Does anyone recall the other verses?

Lee T

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: iancarterb
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 12:51 AM

I'm ecstatic to see this 6 year old thread about one of the first songs I consciously knew (born in '42 near New York City with a constant houseful of RN ratings - Brits, Kiwis and Aussies- on short liberties until 1945). My parents sang the sanitized verses, at least when we kids were around. I have read all ten versions in the DT and I love the explorations above into the genesis and references of many of them. I've had to teach it to anyone I wanted to sing it with except my (older) sister, of course. My mother could be moved to sing the chorus despite dementia until near her death at 97- and a number of other songs from that most out-of-the-ordinary period of her life from '41 to '46.    Carter B

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,Lighter at Work
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 09:37 AM

GUEST Lee Tomkins. The words of the Shackleton song posted above were sung by the RAAF in WWII about the unsatisfactory Wirraway fighter. The "Migs" and "Reds" just modernize the original "Japs" and "Zeros." Other than these changes, the songs are the same.

Can you recall any other RAF songs?

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,Lee T
Date: 21 Jul 07 - 10:36 PM

Thanks for the reply and although I served on a number of squadrons during my service ( 22,51,103,110,205,543 )the only other song of significance was a stupid repetitive song called "Goodbye Horse" where the words were insignificant but the emphasis placed on the words had everyone rolling about in laughter.
For the record the words were :

Goodbye 'orse, Goodbye 'orse
He was saying goodbye to his 'orse
And as he was saying goodbye to his 'orse
He was saying goodbye to his ' orse
goodbye 'orse goodbye 'orse
etc

Now I know that the song is stupid and repetitive but at a squadron "do" it took upon itself a certain ritual and was regularly requested by squadron members.
It was certainly popular on 22, 51,and 543 Squadrons and yours truly seemed to get the reputation for singing the song.
I do not know the origin of the song, perhaps it has connections with the army?

Any information would be gratefully recieved from an historical perspective.
Incidentally for you older members, my sister Glynis Longhurst,is the treasurer of the Burma Star Association and she would love to hear from all of you veterans that have any information that you would like to impart.
Dad, Freddie Tomkins,now passed away bless him, was in the 10th Glosters in Burma during the war and I would love to hear from any old comrades as I am currently trying to compile a history of the battalion in Burma.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Incidentally I joined the Royal Air Force in 1962 as a Boy entrant in the 47th Entry and would love any correspondence with anyone with similar links

regards
Lee T

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,MiltonAlumni
Date: 04 Aug 07 - 11:52 PM

We use this song as a "fight song" in our local school district here in Ohio.
Our band director back in the 60s changed the wording to the following. It was to fit the American Football we play.

Bless 'em all, bless 'em all.
the lads that are right on the ball.

Bless and the tackles, the guards and the ends,
Bless all the backsmen, they score they're our friends.

Give a cheer to the boys one and all,
As back to the showers they crawl.
And now that it's over, and we are in clover,
Hooray for the team, bless 'em all!

Does anyone out there know where to buy the sheet music to the song?

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: robomatic
Date: 05 Aug 07 - 01:02 AM

There's a rather touching science fiction story of about twenty years ago which recounted a future anthropologist lost among savages in the future Britain. He hears a strange garbled song which goes:

Balasamo, balasamo
Sarnocorpano
Bina mosha sada rosha
Chumila balasamo

And, as he dies of wounds at the end of the story he makes the connection between the devolved residents and their song and the subject of our thread.

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,Dudley Baker 205 Sqn
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 11:08 AM

Some more words for the shack song. Any help with gas or corrections.

Singing shine shine Somerset shine
The skipper looks on us with pride
He'd have blue fit if he saw the shit
on the side of the Somersetshire
Chocks away chocks away
And we will chase all the SPs that come down our way
And their wives and their wives
And we'll chase all their daughters for their blessing lives.

This is our story this is our song
We've been in this airforce too bloody long

The Rodney Repulse and Renown
You can't sink the Hood cause the bastards gone down

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,Dudley Baker 205 Sqn
Date: 03 Jan 08 - 12:04 PM

A bit more of the Shack Song. Hi Lee 1948515M [e-mail]

This is our story this is our song
We've been in this airforce too bloody long
Roll out the Rodney Repulse and Renown
You can't sink the Hood cause the bastards gone down
Chocks away chocks away
And we'll chase all the SPs that come down our way
And their wives and their wives
And we'll chase all their daughters for their blessed lives.

There is a moral to our little song
If we all stick together we just can't go wrong

Until 205 Sqn goes flying again

Subject: Lyr Add: COOK 'EM ALL
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Jan 08 - 10:46 PM

Here's a version I put together on the Cat back in 2003 when there was a story in the papers about "Chefs have been drafted in to command soldiers training for a possible assault on Iraq because Britain's elite infantry regiments are so short of experienced soldiers. (BS: Chefs in charge in British Army? ):

Cook 'em all, cook 'em all,
Now the cookies have answered the call.
Cook all the sergeants and the officers too,
And cook all their privates to serve in a stew.
They say that we're headed away to the East
Though we'd much sooner go down the pub,
There's some bugger called Bush says it's time for a push,
Though we'd rather be dishing up grub.

Here we go, cheerio,
You might think we are marching too slow,
But the British divisions need ample provisions,
To be fit for to fight with the foe,
I hear that the tanks that we got from the Yanks
Are inclined to get stuck in the sand,
But with bangers and mash we will cut quite a dash,
So they need us to give them a hand.

Cook em all, cook em all,
The long and the short and the tall,
They're cooking up something and it seems it's a war,
So it's time to get stuck in, like always before.
But are we downhearted or are we distressed?
Why no, we'll be having a ball,
For cookie is always at home in a mess.
So cheer up me lads, cook 'em all.

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,Dudley Baker 205 Sqn
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 04:19 AM

This seems the last half verse of the Shack Song. Unless you know different.

There is a moral to our little song
If we all stick together we just can't go wrong
So cheer up my lads and we'll sing this refrain
When 205 Sqn goes flying again

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,Bob Thompson
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 08:20 PM

Just come across "Magician`s" comments regarding The Shackleton Song (Jun 06).   Folklore I am afraid!   As a matter of accuracy, the Shack had Griffon engines, not Merlins.    As for oily black smoke when the engines were put through the 90% gate to get full power - I doubt it.   Firstly, with 2500 hours as a "Siggy" on the beasts, I don`t recall any throttle gate limiting the engines to 90%. Anyway, during my lengthy sojourn in The Kipper Fleet, I spent many an hour languishing in the beam for take-off, idly watching the engines. The aircraft was relatively underpowered, and 100% power was always used to get the Shack airborne. Simply, there was never any black, oily smoke at max power. Incidently, at night, one could see the exhaust manifolds glowing red-hot - more than enough to burn off any oil that might possibly have escaped.

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,LIighter at work
Date: 16 Jan 08 - 09:45 AM

Like I said, the name of the post-war Shackleton was substituted for that of the Australian Wirraway fighter of WWII. The "black oily smoke" originally pertained to that airplane. It was easier to keep the old words, in this case, than to write new ones.

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,Ott in Pennsy
Date: 29 Jun 09 - 02:08 AM

We sent for McArthur to come to Korea
but Dugout Doud he said "no".
It's too cold and I'm too old
besides, there's no USO

We sent for the nurses to come to Korea,
The girlies they made it with ease,One to each table
each bearing this label
"Reserved for the Officers,Please"
    cho
B T A, B T A
as back to the Yalu we crawl
there'll be no promotion this side of the ocean
So, cheer up my boys bless them all

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jun 09 - 03:55 AM

Also see the Merchant Navy version [Clan boat just leaving Bombay] in the MN Perma thread.   Ron

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,Lee Haviland
Date: 07 Nov 09 - 06:22 PM

Could you send those lyrics to me at [e-mail]?
I have a US MArine Corps party tomorrow to go to and want to sing a version I learned in England in the 1950s.
THANKS

---

E-Mail sent, but address didn't work. -Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 08 Nov 09 - 11:19 AM

Ed Cray's 'The Erotic Muse' has 6 pages of versions, including some of the above historical background.

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 08 Nov 09 - 12:59 PM

Reminder of Willis Hall's early play, premiered at Royal Court Theatre 1959, set in WWii Burma: title — The Long and the Short and the Tall.

The rank WO1 [Warrant Officer 1st Class] would include Staff Sergeant Majors, &c, as well as the great RSM himself. Their insignia would be the Royal coat-of-arms worn on the forearm. WO2's would have a crown there, if a Company Sergeant Major, or a crown in a wreath if a Staff Quartermaster Sergeant — there were various ranks designated Warrant Officers. They were entitled to be called 'Sir' by other ranks {privates & NCOs}, and addressed as 'Mr So-and-so' by officers'. WO1s were allowed to wear the soft-topped service-dress cap generally associated with officers. They were not, however, entitled to salutes from lower ranks.

"Corporals and their blooming sons", I always presumed, referred to corporals addressing the rankers under their command in such terms as "Come on, my sons; let's be having you; get fell in!" - or some such

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 08 Nov 09 - 01:14 PM

Slight thread drift suggested by above post — as the insignia for a sergeant is three stripes on the upper arm, and a major, officer of field rank, wears a crown on the shoulder, it is often thought that a soldier with a crown above three stripes is a Sergeant-Major {a gross error which marred the opening moments of the famous tv version of Brideshead Revisited in the 1980s!: you'd have thought with the money they spent on that production they might have employed a competent Miltary Advisor}. In fact, that is the insignia of a Colour-Sergeant in the Infantry [see the film Zulu, & Kipling's poem Danny Deever], or a Staff-Sergeant in one of the support corps, or a Corporal-of-Horse in the Household Cavalry — the most senior NCO ranks, but lower than Warrant Officers.

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 08 Nov 09 - 01:19 PM

... & re Kipling's Danny Deever — beautifully set & sung, it will be recalled, by the late great Peter Bellamy to the tune of Derwentwater's Farewell.

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 14 Nov 09 - 01:11 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,Flash
Date: 14 Dec 09 - 11:24 AM

I served on 205 Sqdn from 1959-1961961, and we were singing The Shackleton song back then. It maybe that the confusion about 90% throttle came about as a result of the fact (I believe) that for high altitude-high temperature takeoffs, the Griffons used water-meth injection to give them extra boost. I was only an instrument basher, so I can't guarentee that I know what Im talking about.

Subject: RE: Help: Bless 'em All
From: GUEST,ewaboy
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 01:42 PM

Even as a kid I always heard, in my mind, "F... 'Em All" whenever some movie GIs sang "Bless 'Em All".

Finally figured out that as a toddler during the Occupation of Japan I must have heard Aussies or Kiwis singing the "correct version" in some smoke filled bar or night club. Strangely - one of my earliest memories is being in just such a setting with my parents and their friends.

Subject: Lyr Add: BLESS 'EM ALL (from Gracie Fields)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Mar 11 - 11:38 AM

You can hear Gracie's version at YouTube:


BLESS 'EM ALL
As sung by Gracie Fields, 1942

Bless 'em all. Bless 'em all,
The long and the short and the tall.
Bless all the sergeants, the sourpuss ones.
Bless all the corporals and their dopey sons.
'Cause we're saying goodbye to them all
As back to the barracks they crawl.
No ice cream an' cookies or flat-footed rookies,
So cheer up, my lads. Bless 'em all.

They say that in camp you can have a swell time.
A wee birdie told before.
Five in the morning we're kicked out of bed
To scrub up the barrack-room floor.

A private has really no privacy now.
We're all behind the eight-ball.
We'll get no promotion this side of the ocean
So cheer up, my lads. Bless 'em all.

Bless 'em all. Bless 'em all,
The guys who have answered the call.
The best bunch of seamen that you've ever seen,
The men who are manning our merchant marine.
Yes, we owe a big debt to them all,
For the troops and munitions they haul
Are showing Herr Hitler his chances get littler
Each time they put out. Bless 'em all.

Ev'ryone knows what a job they've done.
The whole blinking lot, bless 'em all.


[George Formby also recorded some version.]

Subject: Lyr Add: BLESS 'EM ALL (from George Formby)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Mar 11 - 12:17 PM

You can hear George Formby's version at YouTube:

(Actually, YouTube has several copies, but I think the audio is identical on all of them, varying somewhat in sound fidelity.)


BLESS 'EM ALL
As sung by George Formby, 1940.

They say there's a troop ship just leavin' Bombay
Bound for Old Blighty's shore,
Heavily laden with time-expired men,
Bound for the land they adore.
There's many an airman just finishin' 'is time.
There's many a twerp signin' on.
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean,
So cheer up, my lads. Bless 'em all.

CHORUS: Bless 'em all. Bless 'em all,
The long an' the short an' the tall.
Bless all the sergeants an' W-O-ones.
Bless all the corp'rals an' their blinkin' sons,
'Cause we're sayin' goodbye to them all
As back to their village they crawl.
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean,
So cheer up, my lads. Bless 'em all.

They say if you work 'ard you'll get better pay.
We've 'eard all that before.
Clean up your buttons an' polish your boots,
Scrub out the barrack-room floor.
There's many a rookie 'as taken it in
Hook, line, an' sinker an' all.
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean,
So cheer up, my lads. Bless 'em all. CHORUS

Now they say that the sergeant's a very nice chap.
Oh, what a tale to tell!
Ask 'im for leave on a Saturday night,
He'll pay your fare 'ome as well.
There's many an airman 'as blighted 'is life
Through writin' rude words on the wall.
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean,
So cheer up, my lads. Bless 'em all. CHORUS

Nobody knows what a twerp you 'ave been,
So cheer up, my lads. Bless 'em all.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Joe_F
Date: 25 Mar 11 - 03:34 PM

Unsurprisingly, that is almost identical to Ewan MacColl's version.

Subject: Lyr Add: BLESS 'EM ALL (from Navy Song Book)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Mar 11 - 06:56 PM

From Navy Song Book page 27:

[This is an odd book. No editor's or publisher's name seems to be printed in it (so far as what is viewable through Google Books) and no publication date or copyright statement for the book as a whole, although individual songs have dates and copyright statements. Nevertheless, Google Books, in its cataloguing data, gives "by Barry Leonard, Diane Publishing, 1958." It also labels it "reprint." No information is given about the original publisher or date.]

BLESS 'EM ALL
(1940)
Words and music by Jimmy Hughes, Frank Lake and Al Stillman.

1. Bless 'em all! Bless 'em all,
The long and the short and the tall.
Bless ev'ry blondie and ev'ry brunette.
Some we remember and some we forget,
But we're giving our eye to them all,
The ones that appeal or appall.
We stall and we tarry while they want to marry,
But nevertheless, bless 'em all!

2. Bless 'em all! Bless 'em all,
The long and the short and the tall.
Bless all the blondies and all the brunettes.
Each lad is happy to take what he gets,
'Cause we're giving the eye to them all,
The ones that attract or appall:
Maud, Maggie or Susie, you can't be too choosey.
When you are in camp, bless 'em all!

3. Bless 'em all! Bless 'em all!
Bless every last living doll.
Bless all the redheads, each blonde and brunette.
With all those curves, who looks at hair yet?
So we're giving the eye to them all,
Wherever duty may call.
No port can be gruesome, with boy and girl twosome.
Now hear this, you lads: bless 'em all!

4. Bless 'em all! Bless 'em all,
In any service at all.
Bless all the Wacs, every Spar and each Wave.
We love the Marines—the kind who don't shave.
A lieutenant that we love to date
Is very affectionate.
She's stacked oh so neatly. She smiles oh so sweetly.
Full steam ahead! Bless 'em all!

5. Bless 'em all! Bless 'em all,
The long and the short and the tall.
Bless all the admirals in the U.S. Navy.
They don't care if we ever get back.
So we're waving goodbye to them all
As back to our foxholes we crawl.
There'll be no promotions this side of the ocean,
So cheer up, my lads. Bless 'em all!

6. Bless 'em all! Bless 'em all,
The long and the short and the tall.
Bless the instructors who teach us to dive.
Bless all our stars that we still are alive
For if ever the engine should stall,
We're in for a heck of a fall.
No ice-cream and cookies for flat-footed rookies,
So cheer up, my lads. Bless 'em all!

7. Bless 'em all! Bless 'em all,
The long and the short and the tall.
Bless all the posters with beautiful scenes
We were to see if we joined the Marines.
Well, we've seen no scen'ry at all,
Except what they scrawl on the wall.
No ice-cream and cookies for flat-footed rookies,
So cheer up, my lads. Bless 'em all!

[CODA] Nobody knows what a sap you've been,
So cheer up, my lads. Bless 'em all! (Bless 'em all!)

Copyright 1941 by Sam Fox Publishing Co., Incorporated, Used by permission.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: GUEST,ROY SULLIVAN
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 07:28 PM

LEE I believe that we are family. I am struggling with the tree and would very much to make contact. If this is the right Freddie and I can believe that there was no other in Burma and filmed in The World at War series 1974. Freddie had a sister Olive born December 1923 the dau of Henry Tomkins and May A l.I am Olives son..which would make us some sort of cousin I guess.Please contact me [e-mail] or [e-mail]
ROY

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Rumncoke
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 07:09 PM

The corporals and their sons - being older than the private soldiers, corporals were more likely to have married and have a young family.

Photos of the sprogs would be sent in letters, and proudly shown off to a totally disinterested but captive audience.

Anne Croucher

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 29 Dec 11 - 03:52 AM

Lighter: That line about "their blinkin' sons" has always struck me as odd. Why should "corporals" be associated with "their...sons"? If Guest Brian Hermann is correct, that it was a topical reference, those lines at least could not go back to World War I.

Rumncoke: The corporals and their sons - being older than the private soldiers, corporals were more likely to have married and have a young family.

Photos of the sprogs would be sent in letters, and proudly shown off to a totally disinterested but captive audience.

I think the reference to corporals' sons is far more likely to be due to the common junior NCO habit of telling their charges "my X year old son could do it better than that". This appears to be independent of any topical reference. My grandad certainly mentions it in his 1917 war diaries, John Winton mentions it in "We Joined The Navy" (1950s) and one of my current British Military Fitness instructors, a serving Marine PTI, constantly exhorts us to greater efforts by comparing our peformance unfavourably with that of his 4 year old!

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 29 Dec 11 - 04:19 AM

I still think, as mentioned in an earlier post, that the likeliest ref is to NCOs addressing the ranks in some such terms as "Come on, my sons; let's be having you".

~M~

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 29 Dec 11 - 05:22 PM

Both Rob's and MtheGM's explanations sound plausible.

Whoever wrote the line would thus seem to have had some recruit experience and have beem writing specifically for a forces audience. Few others would have been likely to recognize either allusion. Perhaps the line - and the entire chorus except for "Bless" - was Godfrey's, and most or all of the remaining Prowse lyrics were added in 1940 to make an extended song of what had been previously just a rowdy chorus in the public domain. But I'm just thinking out loud.

Since my last posting in 2008, I've been watching for additional pre-1940 "Bless 'em All" information and have searched additional databases. Have found nothing new whatsoever.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 10 Jan 12 - 08:27 AM

MtheGM,

Hmm, I'd be surprised if Junior NCOs ever referred to their charges as "my sons". "Lads", yes, when being extra nice, "you 'orrible shower of bastards", yes, "you miserable wankers" yes, "my sons"...unlikely!

I was "beasted" around the Common last night by a PTI who on at least 3 occasions informed us that his 4 year old son could do it better than that. And in "We Joined The Navy" the officer cadets can't wait to meet the little daughter of Chief Gunner Mr Froud, since she was obviously such a physical and mental prodigy. And my grandad's war diary makes several mentions of corporals having very talented children. In my mind there's little doubt that this tendency is what the song refers to.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 10 Jan 12 - 10:51 AM

Something I seem to recall some of our training unit NCOs saying during my early Nat Service days, Rob ~~ but perhaps my memory of what happened in Jan-Feb 1951 might just have been conflated and confused with the words of the song!

~M~

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 07 Oct 16 - 07:34 AM

A minor conjecture, but no one seems to have thought of it before:

When Fred Godfrey wrote in 1941 that the he had written "Bless 'em All" in WW1, he added, "And, furthermore, it wasn't 'Bless.'"

Since Godfrey says his (semi-official) RNAS vaudeville troupe performed the song for "hundreds of lads every evening," is it likely that their superiors would have allowed them to sing, night after night, anything stronger than "Damn" or "Blast"? In 1917-18 it was still illegal in Britain even to print the familiar "F-word."

Which would have been added in the "folk" versions, sung in uncensored situations.

I wonder if Godfrey's sense of propriety would have permitted him even to have alluded to the F-word in a letter to a general circulation newspaper in 1941 - particularly if he was suggesting he'd sung it out loud, on a stage, many times!

(Note the resemblance between "blast" and "bless," which may have replaced it.)

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Oct 16 - 08:04 AM

The version actually sung by soldiers is the relevant one, regardless of whether the written original or the stage version might have been different. Or rather, both versions are authentic, according to the context in which they were and are sung.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 07 Oct 16 - 09:16 AM

Of course. But since there seems to be no identifiable trace of Godfrey's original, it's diverting to speculate about it.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 28 Aug 23 - 05:08 PM

"The Sun" (Sydney) (June 14, 1942):

"The only song widely sung by British soldiers on the march this war is 'Bless 'Em All,' to the tune of the football song of the nineties, 'On the Ball.'"

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 08:52 AM

"The Era" (London) (Nov. 10, 1894):

"'On the Ball.' Stirring Football Song for Principal Boy, by Louis B.
Tisdale and E. Ousely Gilbert."

I haven't found any other references, much less the music.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Paul Burke
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 09:05 AM

"The corporals and their sons - being older than the private soldiers, corporals were more likely to have married and have a young family."

According to my Dad, it was a reference to favouritism.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 09:14 AM

There's this, from Paul Simpson, "The Rough Guide to Cult Football" (2003):

"The oldest known football song still used today is Norwich City's 'On the Ball, City,' written by Albert T. Smith, a City director, around 1890 as a music hall song."

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 02:45 PM

On the Ball text and recording is on the Norwich City website and neither bear any resemblance to 'Bless em all'.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 04:12 PM

That leaves Tisdale and Gilbert's song as the only remaining suspect.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 30 Aug 23 - 10:17 AM

Interesting that the ranks deplored in the familiar version of the song - sergeants, WO1s, and corporals - are all army ranks. Likewise the reference to "swaddies."

It's unlikely that Godfrey would have sung about army ranks in the RNAS in 1917.

RAF versions mention "airmen." I'm unaware of any version that mentions RNAS or RN ranks.

The point is that very little of Godfrey's original could have remained in the 1940 version - possibly no more than the tune and "[whatever] 'em all!"

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: cnd
Date: 30 Aug 23 - 11:45 AM

Here's the lyrics (no dots, unfortunately) to On The Ball, A Football Song -- By Louis B. Tisdale, via The Boys Own Paper, Vol. XX No. 992 (Jan. 15, 1898), p. 253

ON THE BALL
(Louis B. Tisdale)

In the days of old, with spirits bold,
Have Britons fought like men;
On tented field, they'd never yield,
No foes could 'fright them then.
And so, to-day, in sport and play,
Our race is still the same:
With valiant hearts they play their parts,
When Football is the game.

On the ball, on the ball,
Play up, let her go:
That's the plan, take the man,
Shoot for all you know.
Away with her, well shot, my boys,
Make the leather roll—
Now then, altogether lads,
Hurrah! another goal!

In frost and snow our faces glow,
Our anxious hearts heat high;
We struggle still, but win we will,
At least we'll bravely try.
We know no fear, for with a cheer
Across the field we fly,
Then back once more, as with a roar
We shout the battle cry—

On the ball, on the ball,
Play up, let her go:
That's the plan, take the man,
Shoot for all you know.
Away with her, well shot, my boys,
Make the leather roll—
Now then, altogether lads,
Hurrah! another goal!

Theee cheers, my boys, for all the joys
Of Football, prince of games:
No sport so fair, none can compare,
No matter what their names.
Then join with me in three times three,
For our beloved game,
For Football will, through good and ill,
But add to England's fame.

On the ball, on the ball,
Play up, let her go:
That's the plan, take the man,
Shoot for all you know.
Away with her, well shot, my boys,
Make the leather roll—
Now then, altogether lads,
Hurrah! another goal!

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 30 Aug 23 - 01:14 PM

Thanks, Carter!

Unfortunately, it takes a good deal of tweaking to make the words scan to "Bless 'em All!"

Another false trail.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 30 Aug 23 - 01:49 PM

The words to two commercial American rewrites are here:


https://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/b/blessemall.html

Cringeworthy by any standard.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 30 Aug 23 - 05:15 PM

Presumably Jimmy Hughes and/or Frank Lake had heard a descendant of Godfrey's song and either tinkered with or completely revised it.

It would be interesting to know where they got it, what it was really like, and how well known it was before the end of 1940.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 15 Sep 23 - 01:46 PM

Quentin Reynolds, "A London Diary" (1941):

"The [RAF] boys who fly the Lockheed Hudson bombers and dive bombers over Norway [in 1940] have a grand song almost one fifth of which can be printed. It is sung to the tune of an old English classic, ‘There’s a troop ship just leaving Bombay….’ It goes (allowing for changes):

        They say there’s a Hudson just leaving Norway
        Bound for old Scotland’s shore
        Heavily laden with terrified airmen
        Bound for the land they adore.
        There’s many a Heinkel around in the Skagerrak
       And many a Messerschmitt too
        You’ll get no promotion that side of the ocean,
        So cheer up, my lad, bless ‘em all.

        Bless ‘em all, bless ‘em all—the long and the short and the tall.
        Bless all the sergeants and W.O. 1s—their blessed daughters and their blessed sons - etc.

"Low and I can’t sing as well as Beattie, but we can sing louder."

Reynold's dates this journal passage "Oct. 1," which would be weeks earlier than the earliest newspaper mention of the pop song (Dec. 12, 1940) that I've found.

FWIW.

(Google Bard insisted that "BEM" was released on March 15, 1940, citing several websites, but when challenged confessed it had no idea of the precise date.)

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Lighter
Date: 15 Sep 23 - 05:25 PM

Two weeks earlier: "Bedfordshire Times and Independent" (Nov. 29, 1940), (George Formsby's?) recording advertised as: “Bless ‘em All: The Service Song.”

Subject: RE: Origins: Bless 'Em All
From: Paul Burke
Date: 19 Sep 23 - 06:04 AM

According to my father (British army c1941-47), the "sons" referred to favouritism by corporals- perhaps the lowest rank to have any real power.