World War One Songbook Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ireland

"It's a Long Way to Tipperary" was written by Jack Judge and Harry Williams on a bet, although Williams's claim is tenuous. It was frequently used as a marching song but it had broad popular appeal. Although not a 'war' song per se, it spoke of a displaced person yearning for home.

Tipperary is a small town in central Ireland that had a population of 4415 in 2006. The welcome sign entering Tipperary says: "You Come a Long Way".

Although Harry Williams' authorship of the song has been disputed, none-the-less
he collected royalties until his death 1924. From that point his heirs have inherited the copyright. Harry was confined to a wheelchair most of his life.

"It's a long way to Tipperary,
And it's a long way to go.
It's a long way to Tipperary
And the sweetest girl I know!
Goodbye, Piccadilly,
Farewell, Leicester Square!
It's a long long way to Tipperary,
But my heart's right there."

Answer: Paper Doll

John Black was a pianist, composer, and sometimes boxer. The song was inspired when his girl friend ran off with another boxer.

"When I come home at night she will be waiting
She'll be the truest doll in all this world
I'd rather have a Paper Doll to call my own
Than have a fickle-minded real live girl."

Answer: Over There

"Over There" had great appeal not just for the lively tune and lyrics but because it did not name an enemy. Therefore, it was appropriate to use whenever a new enemy was discovered. Its last surge of interest was post 9/11. George M. Cohan was an ultimate showman whose life was portrayed in the film "Yankee Doodle Dandy"(1942). James Cagney won best actor in 1943 for his portrayal of Cohan, along with best sound and musical score. Cohan was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal for this song. "The Yanks are coming", a popular phrase, comes from "Over There".

"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 everywhere.
So prepare, say a prayer,
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."

Answer: Paris (or Paree)

Joe Young and Sam M. Lewis wrote this song purely from a comic point of view. In the early part of the century nearly half of Americans lived in rural settings. However, this was changing. Economic factors, mechanization, and less reliance on subsistence agriculture found the rural populations declining. The song reflects the underlying fear that agriculture was less a factor in the 'American' dream.

"They'll never want to see a rake or a plow
And who the deuce can parlez vous a cow?
And how ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm
After they've seen Paree?"

Answer: France

Fred Weatherly wrote the lyrics to this song for his favorite vocalist Elsie Griffin, for whom he had written another song, "Danny Boy"(1910). Picardy was a province of France between Noyon and Calais that contained the Somme battlefields, scene of some of the bloodiest fighting of World War One, hence a reminder of renewal after conflict.

"Roses are shining in Picardy,
in the hush of the silver dew,
Roses are flowering in Picardy,
but there's never a rose like you!
And the roses will die with the summertime,
and our roads may be far apart
But there's one rose that dies not in Picardy!
'tis the rose that I keep in my heart!"

Answer: "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946)

"If You Were the Only Girl in the World" was used in the early film musical "The Vagabond Lover" in 1929. In "Bridge on the River Kwai" it was part of an entertainment scene for the prisoners. It was called "Mary and Matthew" song in a 2012 episode of "Downton Abbey".

Among others who have had success with this song are Doris Day, Barbra Streisand, Dean Martin, and Perry Como.

"A garden of Eden just made for two
With nothing to mar our joy
I would say such wonderful things to you
There would be such wonderful things to do
If you were the only girl in the world
and I were the only boy."

Answer: K...K...Katy

Although this ditty has been recorded many times, probably nothing tops Jack Oakie's rendition in the film "Tin Pan Alley"(1940). Oakie plays a frustrated song writer who can't find the right lyrics for a melody. As he is boarding a troop ship headed to France, he falls in the water. After he is fished out shivering, he solves the problem with K...K...Katy.

"K-K-K-Katy, beautiful Katy
You're the only g-g-g-girl that I adore;
When the m-m-m-moon shines, Over the cowshed,
I'll be waiting at the k-k-k-kitchen door."

Answer: Keep them burning

The song became an anthem for the loved ones at home. It meant more than just fire; it meant preservation of the life the soldiers had left.

"Keep the home fires burning,
While your hearts are yearning.
Though your lads are far away
They dream of home.
There's a silver lining
Through the dark clouds shining,
Turn the dark cloud inside out
Till the boys come home."

Answer: Australia and New Zealand

The Ottoman Empire was a troubled country. It was thought that it would not withstand Ally power. But it became one of the unsuccessful campaigns of the war for the Allies. It was fought in what is now Turkey and the forces were led by the Turkish national hero Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Although other nations participated in the fight, 8700 Australians and 2779 New Zealanders died there. Their struggles were captured the 1981 film "Gallipoli."

The song itself is based on a traditional ballad "Mountains of Mourne" and the lyrics are anonymous.

Answer: Mademoiselle from Armentieres

A couple of verses of "Mademoiselle from Armentieres" tells its story.

"Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
She had four chins, her knees would knock,
And her face would stop a cuckoo clock,
Inky, dinky, parley-voo".

"Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
I had more fun than I can tell
Beneath the sheets with Mademoiselle
Inky-dinky-parle-voo"

Answer: Smile, smile, smile

The legend is that two vaudeville performers in 1915 wanted to enter a song writing competition for a marching song so they stole an unpublished song and fine tuned the lyrics and won.

"Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
And smile, smile, smile,
While you've a lucifer to light your fag,
Smile, boys, that's the style.
What's the use of worrying?
It never was worth while, so
Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
And smile, smile, smile."

Answer: A collective pseudonym

The collective pseudonym included John Kellette, James Kendis, James Brockman, and Nat Vincent. The music publishing business on Tin Pan Alley was complex. Each had contracts with various music publishing houses so they combined their names to hold copyright.

"I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" was written in 1917, originally as a waltz. As time passed it was recorded, used in films and in the popular culture in nearly every musical genre.

"I'm forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air,
They fly so high,
Nearly reach the sky,
Then like my dreams,
They fade and die.
Fortune's always hiding,
I've looked everywhere,
I'm forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air"

The Original Dixieland Jass Band made the first jazz recording in 1919. Harpo Marx played a clarinet that emitted bubbles.

Answer: Frédéric Chopin

It was not uncommon for song writers to use melodies that were in the public domain as in this case. The tune was adapted from "Fantaisie-Impromptu" by Frédéric Chopin. The voice of frustration and desperation permeate the lyrics.

"I'm always chasing rainbows
Watching clouds drifting by
My schemes are just like all my dreams
Ending in the sky

Some fellows look and find the sunshine
I always look and find the rain
Some fellows make a winning sometime
I never even make a gain, believe me

I'm always chasing rainbows
Waiting to find a little bluebird in vain."

Answer: His reputation in classical music

Ernest Seitz was a concert pianist. He had had this melody in his head since he was twelve. But he felt that his reputation as a serious musician would be in jeopardy if he were identified with popular music. However, the song has a life of its own. It has been recorded over 100 times. Django Reinhardt does a great instrumental as does Willy Nelson in the modern era but Les Paul sold the most records in 1951.

"Dear one the world is waiting for the sunrise
Ev'ry rose is covered with dew
And while the world is waiting for the sunrise
In my heart is calling you."

Answer: Damaged the suffrage movement

The protests against this anti-war song and the parodies written were probably heard more often than the song itself. Former President Theodore Roosevelt said "Foolish people who applaud a song entitled 'I Didn't Raise My Boy To Be A Soldier' are just the people who would also in their hearts applaud a song entitled 'I Didn't Raise my Girl To Be A Mother'".

The song did help solidify the woman's suffrage issue as by taking a pacifist stand, it expanded its depth of membership.

Among the parodies were "I Did Not Raise My Boy to Be a Coward", "I Didn't Raise My Dog to Be a Sausage" and "I Didn't Raise My Boy, He Had the Joker".

"I didn't raise my boy to be a soldier,
I brought him up to be my pride and joy,
Who dares to put a musket on his shoulder,
To shoot some other mother's darling boy?
Let nations arbitrate their future troubles,
It's time to lay the sword and gun away,
There'd be no war today,
If mothers all would say,
I didn't raise my boy to be a soldier".