| | It wasn't really "Bless 'em All | |
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Dick Stodghill Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3795 Registration date : 2008-05-04 Age : 98 Location : Akron, Ohio
| Subject: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:53 am | |
| A Stodghill Says So blog:Every so often I am hit by an uncontrollable urge to write about "Bless 'em All," that song sung with gusto by soldiers during World War II. Americans, Canadians, Brits, Australians, they all sang it. I wouldn't be surprised if the Germans captured it and sang their own version. Contrary to popular opinion, not too many songs are actually sung by soldiers. Many thought to be popular with those in the military are either too mushy, too maudlin, or contain too many notes. Simplicity is important because when the average group of soldiers burst forth in song it makes a chorus of tree frogs sound like grand opera. There is one problem with writing about "Bless 'em All." When sung by those it was intended for, soldiers, not even a single "bless" can be found in the lyrics. It shouldn't require much imagination for even the most shy and sheltered person to know what word replaced it. So here is a case where accuracy and realism would be severely frowned upon by polite society. This was and still is true of many things associated with the military. That same word keeps rearing its ugly head so a bit of censoring is often required. For example, the Germans sometimes fired colorful leaflets over the American lines. The drawings would not be at home in a church bulletin, nor would the messages. A typical one (borrowing a word from the popular version of the aforementioned song) read: "What 4-F is blessing your wife tonight, Joe?" These were greeted with great hilarity. However, I sometimes felt concern that these crude illustrations and words might set some married men to wondering. Others, and this I knew for a fact, wouldn't have given a hoot. Whatever, "Bless 'em All" apparently was written by a British music hall performer. Considering how few notes this classic contains, that isn't surprising. I do wonder, though, if he sang the version put on paper or the military adaptation? Either way it didn't bear much resemblance to "Keep the Home Fires Burning" or "There'll be Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover." Still it was a pretty good song. |
| | | Shelagh Admin
Number of posts : 12662 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:19 am | |
| Ah, Dame Vera:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdGX_FcvVoE&feature=related
George Formby's version of Bless 'Em All:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUQKFt2-b7Q&feature=related |
| | | Shelagh Admin
Number of posts : 12662 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:26 am | |
| Check out this site, Dick:
http://www.fredgodfreysongs.ca/ |
| | | Dick Stodghill Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3795 Registration date : 2008-05-04 Age : 98 Location : Akron, Ohio
| Subject: Re: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:16 am | |
| That was great, Shelagh. I never heard Formby sing what may have been his best song. Interesting sheet music covers although most of the songs were new to me. I was surprised to see one about Texas. I loved Vera Lynn. I believe all soldiers did. Now I'm trying to remember the name of the man we heard on radio - records because he had been killed earlier in the blitz. |
| | | alj Five Star Member
Number of posts : 9633 Registration date : 2008-12-05 Age : 80 Location : San Antonio
| Subject: Re: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:52 am | |
| I remember when I first read "Harry" Butcher's My Three Years with Eisenhower, when I was still in my teens, looking in the notes to find that the "F" in acronyms like snafu, fumtu, and tarfu stood for "fouled." At that time, I had no reason not to believe it. Later, when I heard a different word, I realized I had been hopelessly ignorant.
Ann |
| | | Carol Troestler Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3827 Registration date : 2008-06-07 Age : 86 Location : Wisconsin
| Subject: Re: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:31 am | |
| You should have heard the songs the Marines sang in peace time. They had a very special song they sang for generals, really. It took me a while to figure out the hidden meaning, even without any bad words.
The evening of the day I spent with the Marines where we went to Civil War battlefields and the Vietnam wall, a very emotional day, was followed by a few drinks by the Marines. At dinner that evening, these men, some who had fought in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam decided to sing this wonderful song to a group of young high school students eating dinner out in their finery before the prom. I'm sure at least a few caught the hidden meaning.
Carol |
| | | Shelagh Admin
Number of posts : 12662 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:02 pm | |
| Was it Al Bowlly, Dick? You can check him out here:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:dpfwxqt5ldje~T00 |
| | | Don Stephens Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1355 Registration date : 2008-01-25 Age : 85 Location : Wherever my hat's hanging today!
| Subject: Re: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:14 pm | |
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Last edited by D. J. (Don) Stephens on Fri Mar 05, 2010 6:43 pm; edited 1 time in total |
| | | Dick Stodghill Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3795 Registration date : 2008-05-04 Age : 98 Location : Akron, Ohio
| Subject: Re: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:19 pm | |
| Yes, Shelagh, it was Al Bowlly. They played a lot of his records even though he was dead. Don, must of the singing I've heard was after a few beers, but sometimes on truck rides, etc. Come to think of it, those also were after a few beers, |
| | | thehairymob Four Star Member
Number of posts : 890 Registration date : 2008-05-05 Age : 56 Location : Scotland
| Subject: Re: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:36 pm | |
| Just for you Dick, to remember old times |
| | | Shelagh Admin
Number of posts : 12662 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:45 pm | |
| You old softie you, Billy. |
| | | Shelagh Admin
Number of posts : 12662 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 2:27 pm | |
| - Dick Stodghill wrote:
- That was great, Shelagh. I never heard Formby sing what may have been his best song. Interesting sheet music covers although most of the songs were new to me. I was surprised to see one about Texas.
George Formby was born in Wigan. So was I. Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine is set in Pierton, Lancashire ( George Orwell's Road to Wigan Pier). My dad is George and my brother is George. This is George Formby's most famous song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfmAeijj5cM Turned out nice again. |
| | | Dick Stodghill Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3795 Registration date : 2008-05-04 Age : 98 Location : Akron, Ohio
| Subject: Re: It wasn't really "Bless 'em All Mon Jun 15, 2009 2:39 pm | |
| That was a new one on me. Formby was quite a character, or so it seems. Bring back the ukelele! Thanks for the beer, Billy. |
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