The Better 'Ole, In Search Of...

The First World War produced a number of memorable songs of its own, so when I started thinking about a visit to the battlefields of France, 1914 I was very pleased to learn about the blog of Private Harry Lamin. I don't think anybody can paint a clearer picture than Private Lamin, so I will just refer my patient reader to his blog, and reproduce the songs below to give a little of the flavour of the period.

The Better 'Ole	The Better 'Ole (a musical)	Fragments from France (What time do they feed the sea lions Alf?)

Among other things, Captain Bruce Bairnsfather will long be remembered for his comic drawings of the character "Ole' Bill" which did so much to maintain morale not only in the First World War, but also in the Second.

X: 1 T: It's a Long Way to Tipperary C:Words and Music by Jack Judge and Harry Williams. M: 4/4 L: 1/4 Q:1/4=120 P:ABA K:C % 0 sharps V:1 P:A c/e/d/c/ A/G/E/F/ | G/A/G/E/ G>z | c/e/d/c/ A/G/E/F/ | G/G/G/^F/ G>z | w:Up to might-y Lon-don came An I-rish lad one day, All the streets were paved with gold, So ever-y-one was gay! c/e/d/c/ A/G/E/=F/ | G/G/G/G/ B>z | c/e/d/c/ A/B/A/B/ | w:Sing-ing songs of Pic-ca-dil-ly, Strand, and Leices-ter Square, 'Til Pad-dy got ex-ci-ted and c/B/A/B/ c d2 z | w:He shout-ed to them there: P:B E/F/ G G z/G/ | A/B/ c e2 | w:It's a long way to Tip-per-a-ry, e/d/ c A2 | c G2 z | E/F/ G G z/G/| A/B/ c e2 | w:It's a long way to go. It's a long way to Tip-per-a-ry, c/c/ d A B | c d2 z | G G2 A/B/ | c e>z | w:To the sweet-est girl I know! Good-bye Pic-ca-dil-ly, f A c d| e2 z c/d/ | e e e/c/d/c/ | A2 G z | w:Fare-well Leices-ter Square! It's a long long way to Tip-per-a-ry, c e c2 | d c2 z |] w:But my heart's right there. W:Paddy wrote a letter To his Irish Molly O', W:Saying, "Should you not receive it, W:Write and let me know! W:If I make mistakes in "spelling", W:Molly dear", said he, W:"Remember it's the pen, that's bad, W:Don't lay the blame on me". W: W:Chorus W: W:Molly wrote a neat reply W:To Irish Paddy O', W:Saying, "Mike Maloney wants W:To marry me, and so W:Leave the Strand and Piccadilly, W:Or you'll be to blame, W:For love has fairly drove me silly, W:Hoping you're the same!" W: W:-0-Alternative wartime chorus-0- W:That's the wrong way to tickle Mary, W:That's the wrong way to kiss! W:Don't you know that over here, lad, W:They like it best like this! W:Hooray pour le Francais! W:Farewell, Angleterre! W:We didn't know the way to tickle Mary, W:But we learned how, over there!

The keen-eyed observer of WW I movies may notice that trenches were often named after familiar landmarks back home, so the reference to "Goodbye Piccadilly, farewell Leicester Square" would have had an extra depth of meaning for the troops.

X:3
T:Smile, Smile, Smile % title
C:Felix Powell, Lyric by George Asaf % composer
O:http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/otcgi/llscgi60 % origin.
M:2/4 % meter
L:1/4 % length of shortest note
Q: % tempo
%%staves L | { Kr1 Kr2 Kl }
V:L name="Lyric" sname="L."
V:Kr1 name="piano" sname="P." clef=treble
V:Kr2
V:Kl clef=bass
%
P:ABABA
K:G % key
P:A
%1=================2=============3===========================4=========================
[V:L] Z | Z | Z | Z |
[V:Kr1] [DB,][DB,] | [B,G,] D/G/ | [B/D/][B/D/] [B/D/][A/C/] | [G/B,/]A/ [B/G/][c/A/] |
[V:Kr2] Z | z B, | Z | Z |
[V:Kl] G/d/ D/d/ | G/d/ D/d/ | G/d/ D/[d/f/] | [d/G/] z/ z |
%
%5=================6===================7=============================8==================9=============================
[V:L] Z | Z | Z | Z |:[L:1/16] Z |
[V:Kr1] [dBG] g/e/ | [d/B/]e//d// B/G/ | ([A2F2C2] |[GDB,]) z !segno!|:[L:1/16][G3B,3]E D2[B,2G,2] |
[V:Kr2] z ^A | Z | Z | Z |:[L:1/16] Z |
[V:Kl] [gG][^c'g]-| [d'/g/]z/ z | [d/D/][^d/^D/] [e/E/][f/F/] |[gG] [GG,] |:[L:1/16] G2d2 D2d2 |
%
%10====================11===========12===================13=========================14======================================
[V:L] Z :|[L:1/4] G>A | B A/ G/ |[L:1/8]E>F G E |[L:1/4] D/ C/ B,/ D/ |
w:Pri-vate Perks is a fun-ny lit-tle cod-ger With a
w:Pri-vate Perks went a-march-ing in-to Flan-ders With his
w:Pri-vate Perks he came back from Bosch-e shoot-ing With his
[V:Kr1][D3F,3]A, z4 :|[L:1/4] [GB,]>[AC] | [BD] [A/C/][G/B,/] |[L:1/8][EC]>[FD] [GE][EC] |[L:1/4][D/B,/][C/A,/] [B,/G,/][D/B,/]|
[V:Kr2] C2B,2 z4 :|[L:1/4] Z | Z |[L:1/8] Z |[L:1/4] Z |
[V:Kl] A2d2 D2EF :|[L:1/4] G/d/ D/d/ | G/d/ D/d/ |[L:1/8] c g2 g |[L:1/4] G/ d d/ |
%
%15==================16===============17====================18==============================19=====================
[V:L] G2-|G/ B/ G/ A/ | G2-| G z | F F |
w:smile_ a fun-ny smile._ Five feet
w:smile_ his fun-ny smile._ He was
w:smile_ his fun-ny smile._ Round his
[V:Kr1] G2-|G/B/ A/B/ | [GDB,] d//B//G//B// | (3A//B//A// G/ (3A//B//A// G/ | F F |
[V:Kr2] [EB,] [^C^A,]-|[D/B,/] z/ [FC] | Z | [EC] [_EC] | F/B,/ F/B,/ |
[V:Kl] e (_e |d/) z/ D | G [d'b'g'] | g2 | ^d/[a/f/] B/[a/f/] |
%
%20======================21==========================22==========================23===========
[V:L] B A/ F/ |[L:1/16]E3 F G2 A2 |[L:1/4] B/ G/ E/ D/ | ^C2-|
w:none, he's an art-ful lit-tle dod-ger With a smile_
w:lov'd by the pri-vates and com-man-ders for his smile_
w:home he then set a-bout re-cruit-ing With his smile_
[V:Kr1] B A/[F/B,/] |[L:1/16]E3F G2[A2^D2B,2] |[L:1/4] B/G/ [E/G,/][D/^G,/] | [^CA,] B-|
[V:Kr2] B/B,/ z |[L:1/16] z2 [B,4G,4] z2 |[L:1/4][EB,] B, | z [GEC]-|
[V:Kl] ^d/[a/f/] b/[a/d/] |[L:1/16] e6 f2 |[L:1/4] g e | A a-|
%
%24===============25================26==============27===================28=========================
[V:L] C/ G/ ^D/ E/ | A2-| A z | _B B | G _B |
w:_ a fun-ny smile._ Flush or broke he'll
w:_ his fun-ny smile._ When a throng of
w:_ his fun-ny smile._ He told all his
[V:Kr1] A/G/ ^D/E/ | [AFC] D/^C//D// | _E/D/ ^G,/A,/ | _B/_B,/ _B/_B,/ | G/[_E/_B,/] _B/[G/B,/] |
[V:Kr2][G/E/C/]z/ z| Z | Z | Z | Z |
[V:Kl] a/g/ ^d/e/ | D ^d/c//d// | _d/c/ ^G/A/ | G/[g/d/] z/ [g/d/] | _E/_e/ z/ e/ |
%
%29======================================30==================31=============32===============
[V:L][L:1/16] F3_E D2 E2 |[L:1/4] F2 | A A | G E |
w:have his lit-tle joke, He can't be sup-
w:Bosch-es came a-long With a might-y
w:pals, the short, the tall, What a time he'd
[V:Kr1][L:1/16][F3D3][_EC] [D2_B,2][F2C2] |[L:1/4] [FD] z | [A^FD] [AFD] | [GD] [E^CA,] |
[V:Kr2][L:1/16] Z |[L:1/4] Z | Z | Z |
[V:Kl][L:1/16] _B2 f4 f2-|[L:1/4] f/f/ g/^g/ | A/d/ f/a/ | b g |
%
%33===================34=========================35==================36=======================
[V:L] A2-| A2 | A A | B F |
w:press'd._ All the oth-er
w:swing,_ Perks yell'd out "This
w:had;_ And as each en-
[V:Kr1][AEA,] a/f//d// | (3^c//d//e// (3B//c//B// A/ | A A | B F |
[V:Kr2] Z | Z | A/[D/A,/] A/[D/A/]| B/[^D/B,/] F/[D/B,/] |
[V:Kl] f [f'd'a] | [g'2^c'2a2] | F/ f f/ | ^d/a/ B/a/ |
%
%37=======================================38============================39==============40=================
[V:L][L:1/16]G3 F G2 A2 |[L:1/4] B ^A/ B/ | ^c B | F E |
w:fel-lows have to grin When he gets this off his
w:lit-tle bunch is mine! Keep your heads down, boys and
w:list-ed like a man Pri-vate Perks said "Now my
[V:Kr1][L:1/16][A3E3][F^D] [G2E2][A2D2B,2] |[L:1/4][BEB,][^A/^A,][B/B,/] | [^cG^C] [BGC] | [F^CA,] [ECG,] |
[V:Kr2][L:1/16] Z |[L:1/4] Z | Z | Z |
[V:Kl][L:1/16] e2 [b4g4] d2 |[L:1/4] e/[b/g/] z | A/ e g/ | A/^A/ B/^c/ |
%
%41===================42==============
[V:L] D z | Z ||
w:chest,
w:sing,
w:lad,
[V:Kr1] [DA,F,] z | [d2c2F2] ||
[V:Kr2] Z | Z ||
[V:Kl] d [c/C/][d/D/] | [BB,][AA,] ||
%
%43======================44==============================45==========46==============
P:B
[V:L]|: D D/ E/ | D/ C/ B,/ C/ | D B | B A |
w:Pack up your troub-les in your old kit-bag And
[V:Kr1]|:[DB,][D/B,/][E/C/] | [D/B,/][C/A,/] [B,/G,/][C/A,/] |[DB,][BGB,]|[BGB,][AFC]|
[V:Kr2]|: Z | Z | Z | Z |
[V:Kl]|: G/d/ D/d/ | G/d/ D/d/ | G/ d d/ | G/ d ^d/ |
%
%47=============48==========49=================50======================================
[V:L] G2 | E2 | D2-| D2 |
w:smile, smile, smile_
[V:Kr1][G2E2B,2] |[E2C2G,2] |[DB,] D |[D/C/A,/F,/][B,/G,/] [C/A,/][^C/A,/] |
[V:Kr2] Z | Z |[L:1/16] z4 B,3G, |[L:1/4] Z |
[V:Kl] e2 | c/d/ e/f/ | g (B| A/) z/ D |
%
%51=======================52=============================53===========54====================
[V:L] D D/ E/ | D/ C/ B,/ C/ | D B | G2 |
w:While you've a Lu-ci-fer to light your fag,
[V:Kr1][DB,] [D/B,/][E/C/] |[D/B,/][C/A,] [B,/G,/][C/A,/] |[DB,][BA^D] |[G2E2B,2] |
[V:Kr2] Z | Z | Z | Z |
[V:Kl] G/d/ D/d/ | G/d/ D/d/ | G/d/ F/^d/ | E/e/ [f/F/][g/G/] |
%
%55===============56============57===============58=======================================
[V:L] A E | F G | A2-| A2 |
w:smile boys, that's the style._
[V:Kr1][AG^C][ECA,]|[FDA,][G^CA,]| ([A2F2C2]|[d/c/F/])[f//d//][e//c//] [d/B/][c/A/]|
[V:Kr2] Z | Z | Z | Z |
[V:Kl] G/d/ F/^d/ |[fF] [eE] |[dD][f/F/][e/E/]|[d/D/][c/C/] [B/B,/][A/A,/]|
%
%59=============60========61==================62============63=========64================
[V:L] G>A | B G | F/ G/ A-| A B | c A | B G |
w:What's the use of wor-ry-ing?_ It ne-ver was worth-
[V:Kr1][L:1/8][G3B,3][AC][L:1/4]|[BD][GB,]|[F/D/][G/E/] [AFD]-| [AFD] [BFD] |[cE][A^FC]| [BGD][GE^C] |
[V:Kr2] Z | Z | Z | Z | Z | Z |
[V:Kl]G/d/ D/d/ |G/d/ D/d/| A d/e/ | [c'f] g | c d | g [ae] |
%
%65=================66===========================67===================68===============================
[V:L] A2 | d2 | D D/ E/ | D/ C/ B,/ C/ |
w:while. So pack up your troub-les in your
[V:Kr1][A2F2D2C2] | [d2c2F2] | [DB,] [D/B,/][E/C/]| [D/B,/][C/A,/][B,/G,/][C/A,/]|
[V:Kr2] Z | Z | Z | Z |
[V:Kl]d [d/D/][e/E/] | [d/D/][c/C/] [B/B,/][A/A,/]| [G/G,/]d/ D/d/ | G/d/ D/d/ |
%
%69=================70=========71========72===========73==========================74===============================
[V:L] D d | d c | B2 | A2 |[L:1/16][1 G8-|[L:1/4] G z :|
w:old kit-bag, And smile, smile, smile._
[V:Kr1] [DB] [dGD] |[dGD][cGE]|[B2G2B,2]|[A2F2C2] |[L:1/16][1 [G3D3B,3]D E2F2 |[L:1/4]G/[A/A,/][B/B,/][c/C/]:|
[V:Kr2] Z | Z | Z | Z |[L:1/16][1 Z |[L:1/4] Z :|
[V:Kl] G/d/ b |[bB] [c'c]| d2 | D/^D/ E/F/ |[L:1/16][1 G2B2 c2d2 |[L:1/4]e/f/ g/a/ :|
%
%75====
[V:L][2 G2-| G z !segno!|]
w:smile._
[V:Kr1][2 [G2D2B,2]|[gdBG] z |]
[V:Kr2][2 Z | Z |]
[V:Kl][2 G D | G, z |]

Notes

1. Lucifer; a popular brand of match 2. fag; British slang for a cigarette See JM's Sketchbook for more firsthand images of WW I To convert the code above to sheet music, or listen to the tunes, copy the code for a single song, then paste it here and [submit].