Hullo there! Little Tommy Atkins
| AKA | Tommy Atkins |
| First Published | 1913 |
| Writer/composer | Lester Barrett and Herman Darewski | Roud | RN |
| Music Hall Performers | Harry Cove |
| Folk performances | Collected from the singing of: Wheat, Maurice; England, Derbyshire; 1970 |
Transcribed from Jack Charman recording on YouTube There's a chap named Tommy Atkins, and his praises we will sing Tommy! Our pride and our joy! We have always found him loyal to his country and his king. Tommy! Our brave soldier boy! When home from war returning, for wives and sweethearts yearning In hearty welcome lusty voices ring, hear how they sing! Hullo there, little Tommy Atkins! Hullo there, little soldier man Always cool and steady, always brave and ready Hullo there, little Tommy Atkins, defeat you, no one can Mid the rattle of the battle or at home sweet home, You are a soldier and a man! There's a chap named Tommy Atkins, and he loves the ladies fair Tommy! Makes love to the lot! With his captivating manner and his fascinating air Tommy! Is awfully hot! Just see him out parading, the ladies' hearts invading The girls all say, while marching with the band "Don't they look grand!" There's a chap named Tommy Atkins, he's a terror to the world Tommy! All Britons adore! For the foe he's always ready and with Union Jack unfurled Tommy! Can fight as of yore! He's proud of what he fought for, a fight he never sought for, And that's why British subjects all proclaim our hero's fame
One of a number of Music Hall songs about Tommy Atkins, this one from the beginning of World War I, a period when the halls played a huge role in promoting enlistment, arguably encouraging young men to sign up to be slaughtered. This was the period of “war fever” when the vast majority of political leaders, trades unions, intellectuals and Music Hall stars enthusiastically backed the war. It didn’t last long – by 1915 focus of Music Hall songs shifted as the confidence that the war would be “over by Christmas” faded. If you want to find out more about popular song in this period check out The show must go on! by John Mullin.
Other songs featuring Tommy Atkins are discussed discussed here
The song was remembered in 1970 when Maurice Wheat sang it to collector Ruairidh Greig, who has very kindly provided this copy of the recording:
A contemporary recording by Jack Charman:
Sources:
- VWML entry
- Kilgarrif Sing Us
- Lyrics: Transcribed from Edison Blue recording on YouTube
- The show must go on! by John Mullin. (2015)