132:
164:
in 1388 and may have been written in the early 14th century, but the earliest surviving version is from the mid-16th century. Stress is put on bravery, honour, revenge and the costs of war. This last factor is even more evident in an early 17th-century version that notes that 'the next day did many
57:
It is possible to classify these songs by historical conflict: "First World War songs", "Second World War songs", "Vietnam War songs", and so on. There is also a miscellaneous category of recruiting songs, anti-pacifist songs, complaints about mess rations, excessive drilling and so on. Many
103:
first saw fit to compose the combination song and dance known as the Haka. The haka is generally composed by a chief, or high-ranking warrior to build up the spirits of warriors and their tribe, whilst striking fear into the enemy. The most famous Haka was composed by
152:
and those that were generally patriotic in nature and often veered into propaganda. Narrative descriptions, which had an important function in distributing news before the development of modern newspapers, have not into both camps, occasionally at the same time.
203:
The Anglo-French Wars of the 17th and 18th centuries saw more descriptive works, usually couched in patriotic terms, but some, like 'Captain Death' (1757) dealt with loss and defeat. As regimental identities emerged songs were adopted for marching, like
302:
saw a large number of songs, often aimed at praising the bravery of particular groups (such as Irish troops) or soldiers in general. From this period we know that some songs were widely sung by the troops themselves, including particularly
345:" concerns the search for a Sergeant (lying on the floor), a quartermaster (behind the line) and the privates (hanging on the old barbed wire). Officers tried to prevent privates from singing the last verse, but were usually unsuccessful.
333:'. "The Conscientious Objector's Lament" (1917) was intended to ridicule pacifists, but it ended up being sung by soldiers longing to go home (See "When This Bloody War is Over" by Max Arthur, page 42). "
337:" (1917) pokes fun at the well educated soldiers who cannot stop themselves from using public school language such as "chin-chin!". "Oh It's a Lovely War" (1917) was the inspiration for the film "
271:". While these songs are popular Confederate recruiting songs and popular marching songs, some songs are written for soldiers to sing while marching, to help boost morale. One great example is "
168:
The conflicts between
England and Spain in the later 16th and early 17th centuries produced a number of ballads describing events, particularly naval conflicts like those of the
235:
saw huge numbers of ballads produced as recruitment propaganda and morale boosting songs on both sides, including 'We are coming father
Abraham', rapidly written in response to
148:
writers from the 16th century onwards. Most of these fell into two groups, those that lamented the cost of war for the participants, and which can therefore be seen as early
259:'s secession convention, the song "I Wish I Was in Dixie" was played each time a delegate voted to secede. It was also played at the inauguration ceremony of President
286:
The name had probably been around in the 18th century, but it would not be until the late 19th century that
British land forces received an equivalent to Jack Tar in '
247:
in 1862, using the existing tune that had already been used as a hymn and soldier's song, with its rousing chorus of 'Glory, glory hallelujah'. Some songs like '
329:' (1915), or that reminded them of home, rather than how to fight. 'Goodbye, Dolly Grey' was still popular along with songs that were adopted by soldiers like '
208:', based on a dance tune and with enthusiastic lyrics from at least the mid-18th century. Both sides make extensive use of ballads as propaganda in the
326:
353:
120:, was a dance and ode to both the living and the dead. It is still in use today, and is regularly performed by international sports teams from
488:
sentiments directly, or one which is perceived (by the public and/or critics) as having an anti-war theme. Some show the negative aspects of
125:
251:' (1863), were sung on both sides, much to the consternation of the commanders. As for the Confederacy, their most successful song was "
457:
736:
434:
341:". The singer is overly enthusiastic about mud and soldiers' food rations. It is an anti-war song disguised as a recruiting song. "
360:
408:
became one of the most popular songs of the Second World War among both German and
British troops. Originally sung in German by
330:
240:
180:
ballads", including "When the King Home in Peace Again", while their parliamentarian opponents were generally happier singing
74:
are becoming less common. Some national anthems have been adapted to be purely instrumental, or less bellicose in sentiment.
750:
446:
342:
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527:
248:
160:", which exists in several versions and deals, somewhat inaccurately, with the events of the Scottish victory of the
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213:
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24:
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280:
276:
272:
62:
are either a call to arms, or a celebration of military victories and past glories. There were a handful of
325:
songs, but it is notable that soldiers themselves tended to prefer songs that were resigned in tone, like '
205:
430:. It mocks the attitudes of middle class soldiers, forced to undergo the rigors of life in the barracks.
770:
765:
338:
252:
684:
D. Russell, Popular Music in
England, 1840–1914: A Social History (McGill-Queen's Press, 1987), p. 123.
586:
The
Jacobite Songs and Ballads of Scotland from 1688 to 1746: With an Appendix of Modern Jacobite Songs
612:
The
National and Religious Song Reader: Patriotic, Traditional, and Sacred Songs from Around the World
760:
316:
268:
20:
481:
264:
189:
161:
35:
232:
675:
J. Shepherd, Popular Music of the World, Media, Industry and
Society (Continuum, 2003), p. 390.
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In
England songs about military and naval subjects were a major part of the output of
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468:
419:
409:
149:
501:
405:
334:
287:
221:
193:
105:
109:
599:
The Common Muse: An
Anthology of Popular British Ballad Poetry, XVth-XXth Century
560:
The Common Muse: An Anthology of Popular British Ballad Poetry, XVth-XXth Century
66:
songs before 1939, but this category has grown enormously since the start of the
121:
67:
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374:
322:
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496:, in some form or another, while others speak out against certain specific
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This article is about songs dealing with war. For songs named "War", see
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Leading up to 1914, and throughout the war there were many patriotic or
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to Travel", making fun of the Union failures to take Richmond from the
145:
117:
71:
47:
43:
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that was remade as a 1943 American wartime musical comedy film of the
220:(1797–1815). The same period saw numerous patriotic war songs, like '
112:, a tribe based in the lower North Island. Te Rauparaha was known to
717:
When This Bloody War is Over: Soldiers' Songs of the First World War
224:' and the emergence of a stereotype of the English seaman as 'Jolly
700:
Oh! It's a Lovely War: Songs Ballads and Parodies of the Great War
493:
130:
737:"Propaganda and dissent in British popular song in the Great War"
729:
Goodnight Sweetheart: Songs and Memories of the Second World War
477:
239:'s call to arms in 1862. Most successful on the Union side was '
94:
625:
Acts of Supremacy: The British Empire and the Stage, 1790-1930
489:
307:, of which probably the most famous is 'Goodbye, Dolly Grey'.
39:
54:, or simply a description of everyday life during war times.
573:
The Cavalier Songs and Ballads of England, from 1642 to 1684
116:
and early Europeans as "The Maori Napoleon," and his Haka,
706:
Mud, Songs and Blighty: A Scrapbook of the First World War
267:. Another extremely popular song of the Confederacy was "
422:
wrote "This is the Army, Mr. Jones" (1942) for the revue
638:
Popular Music of the World, Media, Industry and Society
437:" is a British soldier's song, mocking their officers.
249:
Weeping Sad and Lonely, or When This Cruel War is Over
85:
was a Chinese king who made war songs for his troops.
664:
Popular Music in England, 1840–1914: A Social History
412:, it was sung in many English versions, notably by
653:(Manchester University Press, 2001), pp. 347-9.
723:Dark Laughter: War in Song and Popular Culture
627:(Manchester University Press, 1991), pp. 33-5.
212:(1775–83), but they became a flood during the
8:
547:War and Border Societies in the Middle Ages
492:, while others satirize war. Most promote
184:. Many of these were adapted and reused by
651:Imperialism and Music: Britain, 1876-1953
504:, and some have been embraced by various
327:Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag
70:. On the other hand, new songs that are
601:(Chatto & Windus, 1957), pp. 159-60.
156:One of the earliest British ballads is "
562:(Chatto & Windus, 1957), pp. 39–51.
538:
165:widows come/Their husbands to bewail.'
16:Musical composition that relates to war
500:. Many of these songs are considered
46:'s attitudes towards war. They may be
666:(McGill-Queen's Press, 1987), p. 116.
7:
176:(1642–1653) produced a subgenre of "
597:V. de Sola Pinto and A. E. Rodway,
558:V. de Sola Pinto and A. E. Rodway,
458:List of songs about the Vietnam War
452:List of songs about the Vietnam War
192:' of 1688, a tradition built on by
188:in England and Scotland after the '
14:
435:Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant Major
228:', who appeared in many ballads.
702:, by EMI Music Publishing (1978)
135:The All Blacks perform "Ka Mate"
377:" (later featured in the film
241:The Battle Hymn of the Republic
447:Songs of the Spanish Civil War
441:Songs of the Spanish Civil War
343:Hanging on the Old Barbed Wire
1:
614:(Haworth Press, 1996), p. 55.
545:A. Goodman and A. Tuck, eds,
401:Role of music in World War II
361:Mademoiselle from Armentières
331:It's a Long Way to Tipperary
549:(Routledge, 1992), pp. 6-7.
528:Music and political warfare
354:Keep the Home Fires Burning
794:
640:(Continuum, 2003), p. 390.
466:
455:
444:
398:
314:
210:American Revolutionary War
92:
18:
731:by Frank E Huggett (1810)
158:The Ballad of Chevy Chase
99:It is not known when the
25:War song (disambiguation)
281:Battle of Fredericksburg
277:Battle of First Manassas
140:Early military campaigns
725:by Les Cleveland (1994)
273:Richmond is a Hard Road
206:The British Grenadiers
136:
23:. For other uses, see
751:Political party songs
708:by Colin Walsh (1975)
339:Oh! What a Lovely War
294:'s poems and in many
253:I Wish I Was in Dixie
134:
719:by Max Arthur (1943)
348:Other examples are:
317:Music of World War I
269:The Bonnie Blue Flag
214:French Revolutionary
21:War (disambiguation)
588:(R. Griffin, 1861).
484:that either states
482:musical composition
265:Montgomery, Alabama
190:Glorious Revolution
162:Battle of Otterburn
36:musical composition
776:Music and politics
395:World War II songs
305:leave taking songs
233:American Civil War
137:
128:rugby union team.
311:World War I songs
174:English Civil War
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424:This is the Army
414:Marlene Dietrich
388:Roses of Picardy
380:This Is the Army
198:Sir Walter Scott
124:, including the
60:national anthems
38:that relates to
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368:The Hearse Song
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237:Abraham Lincoln
218:Napoleonic Wars
182:metrical psalms
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108:, the chief of
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502:protest songs
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469:Anti-war song
463:Anti-war song
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420:Irving Berlin
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766:Songs by war
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662:D. Russell,
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406:Lili Marleen
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335:Good-bye-ee!
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288:Tommy Atkins
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230:
222:Heart of Oak
202:
194:Robert Burns
167:
155:
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106:Te Rauparaha
98:
81:
56:
31:
29:
761:Nationalism
298:songs. The
255:". During
122:New Zealand
68:Vietnam War
745:Categories
712:Textbooks
695:Tunebooks
518:Battle cry
375:Over There
323:jingoistic
296:music hall
126:All Blacks
428:same name
186:Jacobites
110:Ngāti Toa
512:See also
486:anti-war
475:anti-war
356:" (1914)
300:Boer War
226:Jack Tar
178:Cavalier
83:Li Cunxu
78:Li Cunxu
64:anti-war
52:anti-war
32:war song
279:to the
118:Ka Mate
72:pro-war
48:pro-war
44:society
42:, or a
290:', in
172:. The
146:ballad
534:Notes
494:peace
480:is a
114:Māori
101:Māori
34:is a
478:song
231:The
216:and
196:and
95:Haka
89:Haka
490:war
473:An
263:in
40:war
747::
508:.
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30:A
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27:.
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