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Bless 'Em All - The Long and the Short of It
In this episode, Lili Redman and Tom Carradine explore the rich history of wartime songs, focusing on “Bless ‘Em All” and its significance during World War II. They discuss the WWI origins of the song, its evolution through various artists and the role of ENSA in providing entertainment to troops. The conversation highlights George Formby's impact on wartime music and the various versions of 'Bless Them All' that have emerged over the years, showcasing the song's enduring legacy and its connection to British culture. To listen to all the songs mentioned in the episode please visit their Spotify playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FQDrBphYqYLAuN6Jm01PN REFERENCES George Formby Shelter Concert (1940)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiZC-TgpFXw George Formby Senior - Standing at the Corner of the Street (1910) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuwbJeuIFR0 The “Beryldene” Auction https://www.georgeformby.co.uk/auction.htm Some of George’s banjoleles are still owned and played by: http://www.andyeastwood.com/ For images mentioned in the episode visit our Instagram account: http://instagram.com/warsongspod CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction 02:52 The Origins and Evolution of 'Bless Them All' 06:28 Book Recommendations 07:43 The Role of ENSA in Wartime Entertainment 10:55 Uniforms and Performances in War Zones 13:53 George Formby: A Star in Wartime 22:59 George Formby's Auction 27:15 Musical Elements of Bless ‘Em All 29:18 The Lyrics and Their Impact 30:34 Cultural Significance of 'Blighty' 34:54 Morale and Humor in Wartime Music 35:03 Other Recordings 39:10 Ending SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS You can follow the podcast on social media: http://instagram.com/warsongspod https://www.facebook.com/warsongspod Find more information about Lili Redman here: https://liliredman.com/https://www.instagram.com/lili__redman/ https://www.facebook.com/ScalaLil Or Tom Carradine here: https://www.tomcarradine.com/https://www.instagram.com/tomcarradine https://www.facebook.com/mrtomcarradine CONTACT THE PODCAST If there's a wartime song that you think they should discuss, or if you have a personal or family story connected to one, drop them a line at [email protected] to be "Mentioned in Dispatches". LISTENING LINKS Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7ktQ4nyudmPRLcCNyNxEfv?si=ac9e1babe6834f2b Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-a-to-z-of-wartime-song/id1806037318 If you’ve enjoyed this episode Lili and Tom would be grateful if you’d leave a review and make sure you’ve subscribed and turned on notifications so you’ll never miss an episode.
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By Tom Carradine and Lili RedmanIn this episode, Lili Redman and Tom Carradine explore the rich history of wartime songs, focusing on “Bless ‘Em All” and its significance during World War II. They discuss the WWI origins of the song, its evolution through various artists and the role of ENSA in providing entertainment to troops. The conversation highlights George Formby's impact on wartime music and the various versions of 'Bless Them All' that have emerged over the years, showcasing the song's enduring legacy and its connection to British culture. To listen to all the songs mentioned in the episode please visit their Spotify playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FQDrBphYqYLAuN6Jm01PN REFERENCES George Formby Shelter Concert (1940)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiZC-TgpFXw George Formby Senior - Standing at the Corner of the Street (1910) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuwbJeuIFR0 The “Beryldene” Auction https://www.georgeformby.co.uk/auction.htm Some of George’s banjoleles are still owned and played by: http://www.andyeastwood.com/ For images mentioned in the episode visit our Instagram account: http://instagram.com/warsongspod CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction 02:52 The Origins and Evolution of 'Bless Them All' 06:28 Book Recommendations 07:43 The Role of ENSA in Wartime Entertainment 10:55 Uniforms and Performances in War Zones 13:53 George Formby: A Star in Wartime 22:59 George Formby's Auction 27:15 Musical Elements of Bless ‘Em All 29:18 The Lyrics and Their Impact 30:34 Cultural Significance of 'Blighty' 34:54 Morale and Humor in Wartime Music 35:03 Other Recordings 39:10 Ending SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS You can follow the podcast on social media: http://instagram.com/warsongspod https://www.facebook.com/warsongspod Find more information about Lili Redman here: https://liliredman.com/https://www.instagram.com/lili__redman/ https://www.facebook.com/ScalaLil Or Tom Carradine here: https://www.tomcarradine.com/https://www.instagram.com/tomcarradine https://www.facebook.com/mrtomcarradine CONTACT THE PODCAST If there's a wartime song that you think they should discuss, or if you have a personal or family story connected to one, drop them a line at [email protected] to be "Mentioned in Dispatches". LISTENING LINKS Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7ktQ4nyudmPRLcCNyNxEfv?si=ac9e1babe6834f2b Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-a-to-z-of-wartime-song/id1806037318 If you’ve enjoyed this episode Lili and Tom would be grateful if you’d leave a review and make sure you’ve subscribed and turned on notifications so you’ll never miss an episode.