Over There – The Yanks Are Coming: WW1, George M Cohan and a Song to Stir a Nation

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine delve into the rousing WWI anthem “Over There”, written in 1917 by Broadway legend George M. Cohan.

They explore the song’s role as a call to arms for newly enlisted American soldiers and examine Cohan’s remarkable life as a performer, playwright, composer and the man who “owned Broadway”. From the showbiz roots of The Four Cohans to a Presidential Gold Medal from FDR, his story is one of theatrical brilliance and patriotic flair.

The episode also shines a light on the trailblazing performer Nora Bayes, who debuted the song and lived a life as bold as her voice - from vaudeville stardom to five marriages and fashion statements that shocked society.

Lili and Tom also dig into early recordings by Enrico Caruso, Billy Murray and the Peerless Quartet, discuss lyrical nods to “Yankee Doodle” and other flag-waving favourites and reflect on the musical propaganda that helped shape wartime morale on both sides of the Atlantic.

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

You can listen to ALL of the songs that Tom and Lili talk about in the episode on their Spotify playlister here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FQDrBphYqYLAuN6Jm01PN?si=b777dc33a703408a

REFERENCES

Lincoln 1940s Festival
https://www.lincolnbig.co.uk/news-events/events/1940s-festival/

Players’ Theatre
https://www.playerstheatre.co.uk/

Wilton’s Music Hall
https://wiltons.org.uk/

Tom’s Portable Harmonium
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Btn7e3pgK/

Go Compare Advert (2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHUNPR_PHpQ

George M Cohan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M._Cohan

Ralph Reader
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Reader

Ralph Reader and the RAF Gang Shows
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsehistory/2019/08/15/ralph-reader-and-the-raf-gang-shows/

Over There
https://www.loc.gov/collections/patriotic-melodies/articles-and-essays/over-there/

Nora Bayes
https://ragpiano.com/perform/nbayes.shtml

Levy Sheet Music Collection
https://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/

Ball State University Sheet Music Collection
https://dmr.bsu.edu/digital/collection/ShtMus/search

Connecticut College Sheet Music Collection
https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/sheetmusic/

Yanks Film (1979)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080157/

Yanks Weekend (Saddleworth)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/416876551672249/?locale=en_GB

Patricia Hammond - Songs of the Great War
https://patriciahammond.com/cd-songs-of-the-great-war/

Patricia Hammond - Over There
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94BuiFuj9DE

Johnson’s Baby Shampoo Advert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV7DFrLxeUg

Johnny Get Your Gun (1886)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PC9klhZf0A

Yankee Doodle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee_Doodle

Macaroni Wig
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaroni_(fashion)

I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy (James Cagney 1942)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKeYS1P9j1c

Arthur Sullivan - The Lost Chord (1888)
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