centurion Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 People were accustomed to sing together much more in those days - the barber shop quartet, the male voice choir, the choral society - all sizes of ensemble and all types of music. Some of it must have been excruciating to listen to but people sang as much for their own pleasure as for that of an audience. Today most of this has gone (how many even sing in the bath now?). The marching song and the camp fire song would have been part of military life - possibly accompanied by a banjo http://www.whitetreeaz.com/vintage/banjkipl.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 ... and the ubiquitous harmonica and penny or tin whistles (ease of carrying). Another instrument which could have been easily carried in a kitbag was the accordion (not piano accordion). I've never read a reference to one in a Great War context though, but they would have been easily carried abroad. France, of course, being it's creator! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 ... and the ubiquitous harmonica and penny or tin whistles (ease of carrying). Another instrument which could have been easily carried in a kitbag was the accordion (not piano accordion). I've never read a reference to one in a Great War context though, but they would have been easily carried abroad. France, of course, being it's creator! I believe that the accordion was invented in Britain by Wheatstone a scientific instrument maker of some distinction (the Wheatstone bridge for example). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachlan Posted 10 April , 2011 Share Posted 10 April , 2011 I would think a few melodions found their way to the front too, especially among the Jocks ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 10 April , 2011 Share Posted 10 April , 2011 Concertina or Melodian would have been easier to cart about than an Accordian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachlan Posted 11 April , 2011 Share Posted 11 April , 2011 They certainly would. My Granddad James Gow, a Perthshire man who was in 1/6th Black Watch, 51st Highland Div during WW1, certainly played button-box (button as opposed to piano accordion) after the war, playing Highland and Scottish music and in the 1930's was offered a recording contract by Beltona Records. He had to decline as it conflicted with his job as gamekeeper for Ronachan Estate, Kintyre, Argyll. I'm pretty sure my Dad told me his dad had played a melodion in the army during WW1. It reminds me (excuse me for wandering) of the Daily Record's cartoon strip, Angus Og, about a Hebridean likely lad, in one edition about 1972. This was the time when the Pipes & Drums and Military band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards topped the charts with Amazing Grace. In Angus Og, the radio DJ announces ".... and now, here is Angus Og, playing Crimond* on the chanter, accompanied by the Massed Melodions of the Highland Division" * Crimond is the tune of the 23rd Psalm, an old Scottish Presbyterian and Wee Free favourite. Going back to WW1, my Gt Uncle David Robertson, L/Cpl 8th Black Watch, 9th Scottish Div, who was killed in 1917, wrote in one letter home in 1916 of listening to a German playing clarinet regularly in the enemy trench. David wondered how long that would last if the British sent over a few well-aimed shells ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 11 April , 2011 Share Posted 11 April , 2011 Its a word thing! Here, an accordion and a concertina are the same thing! The piano-accordion being big and different with a piano keyboard attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 11 April , 2011 Share Posted 11 April , 2011 Its a word thing! Here, an accordion and a concertina are the same thing! No, they ain't. Concertinas come in two main varieties - Anglo or English (sorry, no welsh ) and have octagonal ends. Accordions are the big, book-shaped things and have buttons and, in the case of piano accordions, piano keyboards. I'm not going to start on melodions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachlan Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 No, they ain't. Concertinas come in two main varieties - Anglo or English (sorry, no welsh ) and have octagonal ends. Accordions are the big, book-shaped things and have buttons and, in the case of piano accordions, piano keyboards. I'm not going to start on melodions... How about saying "a wee squeeze-box" ? BTW I think an octagonal box (concertina) would be more convenient for lugging up to the trenches, though no doubt bigger boxes found their way there too. Someone mentioned banjos. Would your average British group of squaddies play or have access to banjos ? I would think them quite rare, as rare as guitars ! Voices, spoons, tin whistles, moothies (aka harmonica), perhaps flutes (big or wee), the odd fiddle, concertinas / wee squeeze boxes, the odd clarinet I can imagine. (maybe even the odd trumpet ?) . I would think among the Jocks and Paddies, some sets of pipes might be played for entertainment or at least the chanter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 'Wee squeeze box' would cover a multitude of sins. I think anything larger than a 'moothie' would be rare in the trenches - the troops had enough to lug around without having to strap a bass trombone onto the kit! Then again, think of the fragility of most instruments - the long neck of a banjo would be a liability although the more compact banjolele would be more robust. (A lot of sheet music of the time also carried chord diagrams for this instrument.)Despite all of the problems, there are accounts of towns and communities sending instruments out to 'their' particular regiment but perhaps most of these were kept with the transport. Of course, every German dugout was equipped with a Bluthner grand piano. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarylW Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 'Wee squeeze box' would cover a multitude of sins. I think anything larger than a 'moothie' would be rare in the trenches - ..............snipped..... I've wondered about this because a lot of them had gramophones and a gramophone and records to play on it seem to have been popularly requested items in the 'articles asked for' lists that appeared in newspapers, or they asked for them in letters home See Here Caryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 .......I'm not going to start on melodions... Oh, go on - give us a tune! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 My grandmother at the turn of the century had a zither , and my mother was taught how to play it during the 30s. The left side had about 10 fixed chords which were vamped with a thumb plectrum on the left hand, whilst the melody was picked on the right hand side. At the age of 8, I could vamp out and sing loudly "Drink to me only with thine eyes". A zither was, apparently, quite a popular home instrument, though highly unlikely to have been carried to France. Ready? I'll get the zither Twang twang Drink to me only with thine eyes And I shall drink to thee! twang twang twang twang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 Wot a twanger! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachlan Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 Did a zither use fluffy sticks to play with, like long cotton buds ? I remember someone use to play it on the telly when I was a wee bairn. I think she was called Shirley Albacore ? Wasn't a zither used on the soundtrack/theme tune of The Third Man ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 Did a zither use fluffy sticks to play with, like long cotton buds ? I remember someone use to play it on the telly when I was a wee bairn. I think she was called Shirley Albacore ? Wasn't a zither used on the soundtrack/theme tune of The Third Man ? That was a glockenspiel or a zylophone! The zither used plectrums. Tortoiseshell. Lefthand thumb for vamping had a plectrum that was worn on your thumb and you vamped the chords withit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Underdown Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 Did a zither use fluffy sticks to play with, like long cotton buds? If the instrument defintely had strings rather than wooden or metallic bars it could have been a hammer dulcimer you're remembering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachlan Posted 13 April , 2011 Share Posted 13 April , 2011 If the instrument defintely had strings rather than wooden or metallic bars it could have been a hammer dulcimer you're remembering. Definitely strings. I think it's the dulcimer. I know the glockenspiel, which is much beloved by the German military - marches like Preussens Gloria,Yorcksher Marsch and Hohenfriedberger Marsch positively glow with that high tingly, ringing sound ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hereward Posted 14 November , 2013 Share Posted 14 November , 2013 Has anyone heard a version of this song? If so is it connected to WW1 'Pals' btns.? When you're walking down the old ...... Road Doors and windows open wide ... OPEN WIDE You can hear the people shout The ....... boys are out, We are some of the boys We know our manners We spend our tanners We are respected wherever we go SO When you're walking down the old and so on Indulge me. There's a story behind this one. Des The only version of this song i know is a local song we used to sing: We are the members of the port jazz band, and everbody knows. We know our manners, how to spend our tanners, we are respected wherever we may go. And when we're riding on the railroad track, we open the windows wide. we know how to use are feet when we're dancing down the street, we are the port jazz band. There is more and if I find the words I'll post 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhurst Posted 24 November , 2013 Share Posted 24 November , 2013 Hi Gang, 'Oh! What a Lovely War', for all its faults is still one of my Top 3 Films of all time solely due to the renditions of so many of the 'old favourites'. The rendition of 'When this Lousy War is Over' during the Church Service is enough to make my spine tingle, even on the 20th ++ watching. What about 'Gassed Last Night', 'Hush! Here comes a Whizz Bang', the list goes on and on.... Born 70 years too late! Steve I was recently walking in the foothills of the Caucasus mountains in Georgia (as one does) with two American friends. During a rest break (for me rather than them) one hiker started to sing an old American college song (whether drinking or not, I don't know) and I immediately recognised the tune as that of 'Gassed Last Night'. They were as surprised to hear that version as I was to hear the original one. I assume that it was brought to France with the US army and taken up by some anonymous wit, to become one of the most memorable songs from OWALW. Melvin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunnydur Posted 23 June Share Posted 23 June I am looking for info and a song my grandmother sang to me and said it was about Arch Duke Fredenan. On a green carpet here we stand. Take a ruler by the hand. Take the one you love Best before you lay your head to rest....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knittinganddeath Posted 26 June Share Posted 26 June On 23/06/2024 at 19:14, bunnydur said: On a green carpet here we stand. Take a ruler by the hand. Take the one you love Best before you lay your head to rest....... It gives me vibes of "here comes a candle to light you to bed, here comes a chopper to chop off your head." On that note, if you think it could have been derived from a pre-existing nursery rhyme, you could try to find the book called Nursery Rhymes for Fighting Times. It was first published in the UK in 1914 and reprinted for the centennial. It contained nursery rhymes that had been rewritten for the war. Unfortunately it doesn't seem possible to get the whole text online, although the reprint is available on Amazon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Forge Posted 1 July Share Posted 1 July On 02/04/2011 at 16:40, centurion said: Originally a yellow ribbon 'Round her neck she wears a yeller ribbon, She wears it in winter and the summer so they say, If you ask her "Why the decoration?" She'll say "It's fur my lover who is fur, fur away. Originally copywrited in 1917 but goes back so they say to the English Civil war. Associated with the US 7th Cavalry (and later through the 1949 film with John Wayne) Still sung in E Battery RHA in Germany in the 1980s, as: 'She wore, she wore, she wore a yellow ribbon She wore a yellow ribbon in the merry month of May And, and, and, if you asked her why the hell she wore it She wore it for a Gunner who was far, far away! Far away (Oh what bad luck) Far away (who gives a fcuk)!* She wore it for a Gunner who was far, far away. * or: 'Far away (not far enough) Far away (who gives a stuff)! etc' Cheers, Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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