A World War I
Irish-American Musical Tribute
To Freedom
The American songs are often called
the George M Cohen Medley
Halfway through the medley you will
hear...
"A Nation Once Again" From
Wikipedia
"A Nation Once Again" -- which is a part of the medley --is a song, written sometime in the 1840s by Thomas
Osbourne Davis (1814-1845). Davis was a founder of an Irish movement whose aim was the independence of Ireland.
The song is a prime example of the "Irish rebel music" sub-genre (though it does not celebrate fallen
Irish freedom fighters by name, or cast aspersions on the British occupiers as so many rebel songs do). The song's narrator
dreams of a time when Ireland will be, as the title suggests, a free land, with "our fetters rent in twain." The lyrics exhort,
albeit with less vitriol than some rebel songs, Irishmen to stand up and fight for their land: "And righteous men must make
our land a nation once again."
It has been recorded by many Irish singers and groups, notably John McCormack, The Clancy Brothers,
The Dubliners, The Wolfe Tones in 1964, (a group with clearly Republican leanings), the Poxy Boggards, and The Irish Tenors
(John McDermott, Ronan Tynan, and Anthony Kearns).
In 2002, "A Nation Once Again" was voted the world's most popular tune according to a BBC World Service
global poll of listeners, beating out such favorites as "Vande Mataram" and "Dil Dil Pakistan." Neither The Beatles nor Bob
Marley made the cut, though Cher was #8 with "Believe."
"Over There"
From Vintage Audio
Reproduced below are the lyrics to America's best-known World War One song, "Over There." Written
by George M. Cohan the song was widely performed by various artists (initially by Charles King) from its publication in 1917.
Cohan later recalled that the words and music to the song came to him while travelling by train from
New Rochelle to New York shortly after the U.S. had declared war against Germany in April 1917.
Just as "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" (see below) was a smash-hit success
during the early days of the war in Europe, so "Over There" proved a nationwide hit in the months immediately following America's
enthusiastic entry into the war.
Cohan himself was formally recognized by Congress with the award of the U.S. Congressional Medal
of Honor - albeit in 1940.

Over There
Johnnie, get your gun, Get your gun,
get your gun, Take it on the run, On the run, on the run. Hear them calling, you and me, Every son of liberty. Hurry
right away, No delay, go today, Make your daddy glad To have had such a lad. Tell your sweetheart not to pine, To
be proud her boy's in line. (chorus sung twice)
Johnnie, get your gun, Get your gun,
get your gun, Johnnie show the Hun Who's a son of a gun. Hoist the flag and let her fly, Yankee Doodle do or die. Pack
your little kit, Show your grit, do your bit. Yankee to the ranks, From the towns and the tanks. Make your mother
proud of you, And the old Red, White and Blue. (chorus sung twice)
Chorus Over there, over there, Send
the word, send the word over there - That the Yanks are coming, The Yanks are coming, The drums rum-tumming Ev'rywhere. So
prepare, say a pray'r, Send the word, send the word to beware. We'll be over, we're coming over, And we won't come
back till it's over Over there.
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