The Long Trail: what the British soldier sang and said in 1914-1918

[FrancesH]

I recently picked up a copy of this book in my local Oxfam bookshop, and it has given me great pleasure. It originally appeared in 1930, and was compiled by two veterans, John Brophy and Eric Partridge. My copy is the fully revised version of 1965. It consists of a wide selection of songs sung in the British army during the war (with comments by the editors), and then an exhaustive slang section. It's fascinating to read, and I was astonished to find how many of the songs I knew from hearing my father sing them. I can only assume he heard them from his father, who served with the Glosters.

[FROGSMILE]

18 minutes ago, FrancesH said:

I recently picked up a copy of this book in my local Oxfam bookshop, and it has given me great pleasure. It originally appeared in 1930, and was compiled by two veterans, John Brophy and Eric Partridge. My copy is the fully revised version of 1965. It consists of a wide selection of songs sung in the British army during the war (with comments by the editors), and then an exhaustive slang section. It's fascinating to read, and I was astonished to find how many of the songs I knew from hearing my father sing them. I can only assume he heard them from his father, who served with the Glosters.

Most of the songs continued into WW2 with a few new ones added too.  They were still quite well known as late as the 1960s Frances. 

Edited 30 June by FROGSMILE

[FrancesH]

That's probably it then, Frogsmile! I remembered quite a few but certainly not all -- yet seeing them written out I could hear him singing in my head and knew the tunes immediately. Do you know this book? 

[FROGSMILE]

On 30/06/2024 at 15:50, FrancesH said:

Do you know this book? 

Yes I have it, but a later edition I think, republished by the Daily Telegraph.  Like you, I was raised with many, but not of course all of those songs, as part of family life.  They usually began after a few pints of stout, or whatever was the tipple, with either my grandfather, or father leading the way.  The former was very musical and played in a brass band, but my father learned by ear sufficient to play the piano in military canteens in return for free beer.  It was a bit like a piano jukebox, with him taking requests and beers lined up along the top of the stand-up piano in either, a canteen, or public house saloon bar.

Edited 2 July by FROGSMILE

[FrancesH]

14 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

Like you, I was raised with many, but not of course all of those songs, as part of family life.  They usually began after a few pints of stout, or whatever was the tipple, with either my grandfather, or father leading the way.  

I particularly remember my father singing these songs whilst driving us back from swimming in the local pool. His car had a sunroof (pretty exciting in the 1960s) and we would sit on the roof of singing along with him as he drove the car in interesting twirls and spirals along the road ... 

[FROGSMILE]

6 hours ago, FrancesH said:

I particularly remember my father singing these songs whilst driving us back from swimming in the local pool. His car had a sunroof (pretty exciting in the 1960s) and we would sit on the roof of singing along with him as he drove the car in interesting twirls and spirals along the road ... 

A very evocative description Frances, like something from a Ken Loach movie.  I can picture the scene!

Edited 30 June by FROGSMILE