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2 MINUTE'S SILENCE

This collection of songs began as poems, written 100 years ago by my grandfather from his experiences as a soldier in the First World War. I decided, in remembrance of him and the war on this 100-year anniversary, to add music to these poems and turn them into songs.
I never knew my grandfather, and the only things left of him are these poems and two photographs - this is my way of spanning those 100 years.


TRACKS:  -  (Lyrics Below)

Picture
*1 Kaiser Bill.....................................................................................................................
*2 The Stoker Down Below.................................................................................................
*3 Bobs - A tribute to Lord Roberts.....................................................................................
*4 The Slacker..................................................................................................................
*5 Machine Gun Hill...........................................................................................................
*6 Carry On.......................................................................................................................
*7 Is It He?........................................................................................................................
*8 I've Seen The Sun..........................................................................................................
*9 The Little Paper Hat.......................................................................................................
*10 Two Minute's Silence....................................................................................................



LYRICS


1) KAISER BILL


When the war is finished – Kaiser Bill

And your possessions have diminished – Kaiser Bill

And you find you’ve not a friend

In the world from end to end

A little time in thought you’ll spend – Kaiser Bill.



When you rest your head at night – Kaiser Bill

And you wake in awful fright – Kaiser Bill

When you see those spectres who

Will shriek and grin at you

They will rend your heart in two – Kaiser Bill.



Then perhaps your thoughts will turn – Kaiser Bill

And in your memory burn – Kaiser Bill

To the little children slain

In the old town of Lourain/Lorraine

And you’ll hear their screams of pain – Kaiser Bill



You’ll find torture in your dreams – 

When you think of dear old Rhiems – 

For like Attilla and his Huns

You slaughtered priests and slaughtered nuns

And on God you turned your guns – 



So your greed has come to nought – Kaiser Bill

Only horror has it brought – Kaiser Bill

And a lesson you will learn

‘pon the day it comes your turn

For in hell your soul will burn – Kaiser Bill



But the day is close at hand – Kaiser Bill

Before that God you’ll have to stand – Kaiser Bill

And when he hears your crimes recalled

Even he will be appalled 

At the brutality in your heart installed – Kaiser Bill







2) THE STOKER DOWN BELOW

You hear of Tommy Atkins Those gallant sons o’ ‘mass’

You hear about our sailor-boys Those brave and jolly lars

You read about our airmen And their exploits ‘oer the foe

But there’s one you never hear about The stoker down below


When the battle’s at it’s height And shells are falling fast

He never knows the moment which Is going to prove his last

He knows his work and does it well He makes that big ship go

And his breast is filled with pride He’s the stoker down below.


He knows ‘pon him depends the fate Of one of Britain’s prides

He gets no word from those above Of how the battle tides

He hears the guns’ incessant roar He feels the battle grow

And he knows that much now lays with him The stoker down below


He never sees a shot go home He never feels the thrill

Of seeing a beaten battered foe Bend to superior skill.

He sees not an enemy flag come down Yet does he grumble – no.

For still there’s work for him to do The stoker down below.


And when the battle’s din has ceased And the men behind the guns

Have placed another victory To Britain’s dauntless sons

And others have their honours gained Do the British public know

That recognition goes to all – But the stoker down below.



So when you say your prayers tonight And said one for the men who fight

And shed their blood for the cause of right Just say a little prayer or so

For the stoker down below.






3) BOBS ~ A TRIBUTE TO LORD ROBERTS

He died amidst the din of thundering guns

A soldier’s privilege 

Twas there amidst the lines of Britain’s sons

He crossed the brige.

He heard from the land where his soul had fled

His comrades’ sobs

When they heard of the death whilst they fought and bled

Of dear old ‘Bobs’




They murmured a prayer to the judge above

With many a sigh

And they thought of that brave little soldier’s love

With a tear-dimmed eye

They each of them know they had lost a friend

And it strengthened the bond

For they know that again they would meet in the end

In a land beyond




May his soul rest in peace and happiness

In the days to be

May the love we bear him never grow less

In sincerity 

And the men in the trench who gave way to sobs

Can be forgiven

For they knew a place was reserved for Bobs

For his soul in heaven.





4) THE SLACKER

Are you thinking of the lads out in the trenches?

Are you thinking what it means to you?

Are you going to let them go on fighting

When know that there’s a bit that you can do?

Are you going to let them fight until it’s over?

Do you think just for a moment that they can?

Don’t let them feel ashamed of you

Let me tell you what do do

Go and join the army – be a man!




It’s not because you fear a German bullet

That makes you keep on hesitating to enlist

Because that British blood would not allow you

To be dominated by that iron fist.

You’ve got a sort of false impression you’re not needed

On all such silly notions put a ban

If you know that they will take you

Go – my lad before they make you

Go and do your duty – (be/like) a man.






5) MACHINE GUN HILL

Twas the 13th yof September That we took machine gun hill

And the lads of the Liverpool Regiment Looked forward to the ‘mill.’

Tho’ we’d not been lying idle We’d never had a scrap

And we were all determined To wipe the Boshes off the map.




The ‘kings’ had had a knock Sir And we’re feeling pretty sore

For they’d got us in a gully And we longed to pay the score

For mates and mates were parted Mates we’d known for years

Twas enough to rend your heart sir Twas a sight to bring the tears.




Yet not a man there faltered When evening turned to night

And each man grasped his rifle All eager for the fight.

We knew twas neck or nothing For they’d beaten back the French

But we knew now more than ever We would take that German trench.




So up we went in silence Our hearts were beating fast

For some of us we knew Sir That night would be the last

We thought of wives and mothers Of sweethearts left behind

But thoughts they only spurred us We didn’t seem to mind.




The word then came to go sir Up and at ‘em lads

We’ll show the German bullies We’ll teach the bulger cads

That British pluck and grit sir Are just the same today 

As when our lads with Nelson Won – at Trafalgar Bay.




So we took the trench that night sir But we paid a heavy toll 

For many a gallant lad was missed At the calling of the ‘roll’

But we did what we were told sir And the honour that it brings

Adds yet another laurel To the gallant ‘14th Kings’




Twas the 13th of September...........





6) CARRY ON


When the rain is coming down In a steady drenching shower

An’ you’re standing with yer pack on For over a bloomin’ ‘our

Yer back is achin’ a’fore yer start An’ nothin’ seems ‘no bon’

You’re goin’ up the line tonight So smile and carry on.




Yer start – an’ soon the roads are like Rivulets o’ mud

Yer slips and slurs over swamping fields’ An’ wade through steams in flood

No place to put yer head tonight What chance you ‘ad ‘as gone

But put your teeth together lads Yer’ve got ter carry on/




Very soon yer’ll see again Doiran and the ‘ills 

But this time there’s no fallin’ back For a thousand Kaiser Bills

For your goin’ through to Sophia Our relivin’ days are gone

So remember last December lads An’ say yer’ll carry on




The day is not far from us now When Foxy Ferdinand

And big and little Willie Will wonder ‘and in ‘and

On the shores of St. Helena Where better men have gone

So buck up 14th (kings/liverpools my lads) And stick it – carry on.




Yer wouldn’t like yer friends at home To think that you would shirk

You’ve done yer little bit till now You’ve done some dirty work

Yer’ve lived on slabs and’ bully Not much to fight upon

But what’s the use of grousin’ The ‘kings’ can carry on.




Perseverance , dauntless pluck Victory always brings

We’ll pull through with the best of luck The good old 14th Kings

Let every nation in the world The sun ‘ere shines upon

Point and say in some future days There’s the Kings that carried on.






7) IS IT HE? 

(A mother’s thoughts at the unknown grave)

Is it he, whose ‘good-night mummy’ thrilled me

That fair-haired boy who stood beside my knee

Whose good -night on my lips still lingers

Oh! God I wonder is it he.




Is it he whose smile was like the sunshine

Whose arms around my neck so tenderly

Clinging – mummy dear I love you

I wonder Oh I wonder is it he




Good-night mummy. Good-night son

Then with angels into dreamland he would flee

Those happy nights are haunting my memory still

And I wonder is it he.






8) I’VE SEEN THE SUN

I’ve seen the sun as it rose in the east 

And set amidst gold in the west 

I’ve watched the birds making love in the trees.. 

Or busily building their nest...

I have seen the flowers on a summer morn …

Sparkling with silver dew 

But far more welcome than all of these 

Are a few loving lines from you.




9) THE LITTLE PAPER HAT


I can picture my boy with a paper hat Perched on a curly head

I can hear his childish shouts of joy As to victory his men he led

A wooden sword hung from his side As on Dobbin his steed he sat

He looked every inch a General In his little paper hat




One day he'd be Napoleon conquering the Alpine chairs

Or again he was fighting Indians Or tracking the grizzly bears

Or stalking a ferocious tiger I felt sorry for our poor cat 

How can one tell what wonderful thoughts Were beneath that paper hat




Then came a day when that paper hat Was changed for one of steel

The wooden sword was replaced By one so much more real

And they sent him away on a real live horse

A smile on his face – in my heart a pain

I little thought when we kissed goodbye I'd never see my boy again




But he left me with sweet memories As at dusk I dream in my chair

I hear again the childish voice I fancy I stroke his hair

I caress his little wooden sword And old dobbin gets a pat

And I press my lips with a silent prayer To that little paper hat.





10) Two Minute's Silence 


And yet you say it does no good to think

Old wounds re-open and memories cause pain

It seems to make their sacrifices shrink

It seems as though they gave their lives in vain




In other lands, in far off foreign climes

England's acres can be seen today

To remind us that still we owe a debt

A debt that we can never hope to pay




Two minutes – it is not much to ask

A silent prayer seems but a small reward

Yet refuse it not, but do this simple task

It brings a soul a little nearer God