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The music of World War I is the music which was composed during the war or which is associated with the war.
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The music of World War I is the music which was composed during the war or which is associated with the war.
In 1914, music hall was by far the most popular form of popular song. It was listened to and sung along to in theatres which were getting ever larger (three thousand seaters were not uncommon) and in which the musical acts were gradually overshadowing all other acts (animal imitators, acrobats, human freaks, conjurors, etc.) The industry was more and more dominated by chains of theatres like Moss, and by music publishers, since selling sheet music was very profitable indeed—a real hit could sell over a million copies.
The seats at the music hall could be very cheap and attracted a largely working class audience, for whom a gramophone would generally be too expensive. Although many ordinary people had heard gramophones in seaside resorts or in park concerts organized by local councils, many more would discover the gramophone while in the army, since gramophone manufacturers produced large numbers of portable gramophones "for our soldiers in France".
The repertoire of songs was dominated by the jauntily comic. Humorous stereotypes of domineering wives or mothers-in-law, the bourgeoisie, foreigners, Blacks and Jews were often subjects of songs. Many more songs were made up of tongue-twisters or other comic elements. Sentimental love songs and dreams of an ideal land (Ireland or Dixie in particular) made up another major category. Practically all the songs of the era are unknown today; several thousand music hall songs were published in the UK alone during the war years.
The singers moved from town to town, many just scraping together a living, but a few making a lot of money. The key stars at the time included Marie Lloyd, Vesta Tilley, George Formby, Sr., Harry Lauder, Gertie Gitana and Harry Champion.
At the outbreak of war, many songs were produced which called for young men to join up. Examples included "Your King and Country Want You", "Now You've Got the Khaki On" or "Kitcheners' Boys". After a few months of war and rising numbers of deaths, the recruitment songs all but disappeared, and the 1915 "Greatest hits" collection published by Francis and Day contains no recruitment songs at all. The music hall songs which mentioned the war (about a third of the total produced) were more and more dreams about the end of the war—"When the Boys Come Home" and "Keep the Home Fires Burning" are two well-known examples.
Popular, patriotic songs that were composed during the war also served to raise the morale of soldiers and civilians alike. These hit songs covered a variety of themes, such as separation of loved ones, boot camp, war as an adventure, and humorous songs about the military life. [1]
Because there were no radios or televisions that reported the conditions of the battlefields, Americans had a romantic view of war. Not only were many of the songs patriotic, but they were also romantic. These songs portrayed soldiers as brave and noble, while the women were portrayed as fragile and loyal as they waited for their loved ones. [2]
It was almost impossible to sing anti-war songs on the music-hall stage. The managers of music halls would be worried about their license, and the singalong nature of music hall songs meant that one needed to sing songs which had the support of the vast majority of the audience. In the music hall, dissent about the war drive was therefore limited to sarcastic songs such as "Oh It's a Lovely War" or bitter complaints about the stupidity of conscription tribunals (for example "The Military Representative"). When the anti-war movement had, for a few months in 1916, a mass audience, anti-war music hall songs from the United States such as "I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier" were sung at anti-war meetings, but not on the music hall stage.
"K-K-K-Katy" is a World War I-era song written by Canadian-American composer Geoffrey O'Hara in 1917 and published in 1918. The sheet music advertised it as "The Sensational Stammering Song Success Sung by the Soldiers and Sailors", as well as "The Sensational New Stammering Song" The song was first played at a garden party fund-raiser for the Red Cross in Collins Bay on Lake Ontario. O'Hara was from Chatham, Ontario, and taught music at several universities.
"I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier" is an American anti-war song that was influential within the pacifist movement that existed in the United States before it entered World War I. It is one of the first anti-war songs. Lyricist Alfred Bryan collaborated with composer Al Piantadosi in writing the song, which inspired a sequel, some imitations, but also a number of scornful parodies. It was recorded by The Peerless Quartet in December 1914 and was a hit in 1915, selling 650,000 copies. Its expression of popular pacifist sentiment "helped make the pacifist movement a hard, quantifiable political reality to be reckoned with."
"A Soldier's Rosary" is a 1918 song composed by Joseph A. Burke with lyrics by J. E. Dempsey. The 1918 publication, by the A. J. Stasny Music Co., featured a cover illustration by E. E. Walton.
"It's a Long Way to Berlin, but We'll Get There!" is a World War I era song released in 1917. Arthur Fields wrote the lyrics. Leon Flatow composed the music. Leo Feist, Inc. of New York City published the song. Rosenbaum Studios designed the sheet music cover. It features soldiers marching in formation. There is an inset photo of Maurice Burkhardt, Will J. Ward, Ed Morton, Jimmy Flynn, Willie Weston, or Francis Maguire that varies per edition. There is another version of the cover known as the "Popular edition". It features a photo of Henry Bergman.
"Bring Back My Daddy To Me" is a World War I era song released in 1917. William Tracey and Howard Johnson wrote the lyrics. George W. Meyer composed the music. Leo Feist, Inc. of New York, New York published the song.
"Don't Let Us Sing Anymore About War, Just Let Us Sing of Love " is a World War I era song released in 1918. Lyrics and music were written by Harry Lauder. It was published by T.B. Harms and Francis, Day & Hunter, Music Co. of New York, New York. The sheet music cover features a photo of Lauder with his autograph. The song was written for both voice and piano.
When I Send You a Picture of Berlin: You'll Know It's Over, Over There is a World War I song written and composed by Frank Fay, Ben Ryan and Dave Dreyer. Written for voice and piano, this song was published in 1918 by Harry Von Tilzer Music Publishing Co., in New York, NY. The cover, illustrated by Pfeiffer Illustrating Co., depicts a soldier with a camera while in the background the cavalry rides through a monument. The song was recorded by Arthur Fields & the Peerless Quartet.
"Oh! Frenchy" is a World War I song written by Sam Ehrlich and composed by Con Conrad. It was published in New York, New York by Broadway Music corporation in 1918. The song was in the top 20 charts from September 1918 to March 1919 and was number 2 in October, December, and February. The sheet music cover features a soldier pictured in uniform with a woman in his heart.
"Lafayette " is a World War I song written and composed by Mary Earl, which was a pseudonym of Robert A. King. It was published in New York, New York by Shapiro, Bernstein, & Co. in 1918. The sheet music cover, illustrated by Albert Barbelle, depicts soldiers marching with fixed bayonets below a statue of Lafayette in silhouette.
"I Ain't Got Weary Yet!" is a World War I song written by Howard Johnson and composed by Percy Wenrich. It was published in 1918 by Leo Feist Inc., in New York City. The sheet music cover depicts Americans overtaking Germans while a plane flies overhead. Three vignettes depict soldiers digging, a soldier holding his bride, and a nurse tending to a wounded soldier.
"I'm Proud to Be the Sweetheart of a Soldier" is a World War I song written and composed by Mary Earl. This song was published in 1918 by Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. Inc., in New York City. The sheet music cover, illustrated by E. E. Walton, depicts a young woman in a sailor outfit holding a picture of a soldier.
"Giddy Giddap! Go On! Go On! We're On Our Way to War" is a World War I song written and composed by Jack Frost. This song was published in 1917 by Frank K. Root & Co., in Chicago, Illinois. The sheet music cover depicts a mule pulling four soldiers in a wagon.
"If I Had a Son for Each Star in Old Glory " is a World War I song written by James E. Dempsey and composed by Joseph A. Burke. This song was published in 1917 by Leo Feist, Inc., in New York City. The sheet music cover, illustrated by Rosenbaum Studios, features a mother looking at a picture of her son with an inset photo of Monte Austin. Other editions feature Brice and King; Buddy Clark; Ben Davis; and Florence Timponi.
Johnny's in Town is a World War I song written by Jack Yellen and composed by George W. Meyer & Abe Olman. This song was published in 1919 by Leo. Feist, Inc., in New York, NY. The sheet music cover, illustrated by Rosenbaum Studios, depicts a cartoon soldier winking with women in the background.
"Keep Your Head Down, Fritzie Boy" is a World War I song written and composed by Gitz Rice. This song was published in 1918 by Leo. Feist, Inc., in New York, NY. The cover features a photo of Gitz Rice and reads "inspired by a brave Tommy and written at the Battle of Ypres, 1915."
"Mother, Here's Your Boy!" is a World War I song written and composed by Sidney D. Mitchell, Archie Gottler, and Theodore Morse. This song was published in 1918 by Leo. Feist, Inc., in New York, NY. The sheet music cover depicts Uncle Sam presenting a returning soldier to his mother with the Statue of Liberty and ships in the background.
Salvation Lassie Of Mine is a World War I song written by Jack Caddigan and Chick Story. The song was first published in 1919 by Leo Feist, Inc. in New York, NY. The sheet music cover features a photo of a Salvation Army nurse with soldiers entering a Salvation Army hut. This song was in the top 20 charts in March and April 1919, reaching number 18 in April.
Let's All Be Americans Now is a World War I song written and composed by Irving Berlin, Edgar Leslie, and George W. Meyer. The song was first published in 1917 by Waterson, Berlin & Snyder Co., in New York, NY.The sheet music cover depicts a soldier with his rifle and silhouetted marching soldiers in the background. A popular recording in 1917 was made by the American Quartet.
We'll Knock The Heligo—Into Heligo—Out Of Heligoland! is a World War I song written by John J. O'Brien and composed by Theodore Morse. The song was first published in 1917 by Leo Feist Inc., in New York, NY. The sheet music cover depicts a terrified Kaiser Wilhelm II standing on top of Heligoland while shells are bursting in his back and United States sailors with guns are rushing toward him.
When the Flowers Bloom On No-Man's Land is a World War I song written by Howard E. Rogers and composed by Archie Gottler. The song was first published in 1918 by Kalmar, Puck, & Abrahams Music Co., in New York, NY. The sheet music cover depicts soldiers marching with an inset photo of Fred Weber. The sheet music was later reprinted with an inset photo of Dorothy Jarrett.
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