{"id":10940,"date":"2021-05-26T16:16:49","date_gmt":"2021-05-26T16:16:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=10940"},"modified":"2022-11-25T09:22:13","modified_gmt":"2022-11-25T09:22:13","slug":"are-we-downhearted-no","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/are-we-downhearted-no\/","title":{"rendered":"Are We Downhearted? No!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>The British Battle Cry<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1914<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Worton David \/ L Wright<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN11234<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Florrie Forde, Charles Bignell, Shaun Glenville, Harrison Latimer<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Appears in Alfred Zelman’s collection of Digger Songs (Australia)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Taken from original sheet music at the National Library of Australia<\/a>\n\nMister Pat Malone upon the continong,\nWas fighting with the Irish fusiliers.\nOne night in the camp he rose to sing a song,\nAnd all the Tommies greeted him with cheers.\nSaid Pat: \"I'll sing a song about our gallant fighting men.\nAlthough we've had a tussle with the Germans now and then.\n\nAre we down-hearted? NO!\nThen let your voices ring\nAnd all together sing.\nAre we down-hearted? NO!\nNot while Britannia rules the waves. (Not likely!)\nWhile we have Jack upon the sea,\nAnd Tommy on the land, we needn't fret.\nIt's a long, long way to Tipperary,\nBut we're not down-hearted yet!<\/em>\n\nWith a Frenchy girl Pat toddled out one night,\nAnd arm in arm they strolled, you may depend,\nTill a dozen palls all sang out with delight:\n\"Hello! Hello there! Who's your lady friend?\"\nSaid Patrick, \"I don't know her name, but listen here old pal,\nIf this is what they give us with the Entente Cordiale.\n\nBefore I leave the stage a word I'd like to say,\nTo ev'ry British son and daughter here.\nReverses we must have;<\/em> we can't win all<\/em> the way,\nBut while we've Jack and Tommy, never fear.\nDon't listen to the rumours that Germans spread about.\nWhen people try to scare you, do the same as me and shout.\n<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
This is one of a number of First World War songs based on the slogan: Are we Downhearted? No!<\/em> As John Mullen points out in his exploration of popular song in Britain during the First World War, there was a real tension between trying to boost morale and recognising that the war didn’t always appear to be going particularly well. There are at least two other songs of same name, but this one seems to have been the most successful. It seems to have reached the height of its popularity after the disastrous Dardanelles campaign in 1915. It was particularly associated with the performer  Florrie Forde<\/a>  but was also sung by Charles Bignell and other artistes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A contemporary recording by Harrison Latimer – desperate stuff…<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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